Butterflies and Hurricanes
by tinyhuman02
Summary: Sequel to Rivers and Roads: A year later, Jackson and April are engaged and preparing for the next big step in their relationship. However, some unexpected distractions could disrupt their long awaited trip down the aisle. Very AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, folks! For those who read my first story, welcome back! And if you haven't read Rivers and Roads yet, I suggest you take a look at that before you read this sequel as some things from the previous story are connected to this one. This story takes place exactly a year from R&R. I'm almost halfway through with writing this story and your feedback is always appreciated, so feel free to leave a review.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's or its characters. I am not a medical expert and any medical related topics in this story was written after doing research online.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

For the doctors at Seattle Grace Mercy West, it almost felt unusual to get through a whole year without a traumatic event impacting their lives significantly. No gun shootings, bombs or plane crashes. There was actually room for a life of normalcy for once. The only major event to affect the surgeons was April Kepner's unexpected return to Seattle. It had been a surprise for them, especially with the way she arrived at the hospital – in an ambulance from a serious car accident and 27 weeks pregnant.

Nobody was more surprised than Jackson Avery. His best friend and soulmate, whom he had fallen in love with, nearly died without him getting the chance to tell her how he felt. He was relieved and thankful when she survived, but then the post-traumatic amnesia derailed his plans of starting a life with her and their son, Jordan. Just as he was beginning to accept the fact that part of her memory would never return, things turned around and she was able to regain the memories she had forgotten about him and everything that had to do with SGMW.

They were engaged, raising their healthy baby boy and settling into their new roles as attendings. April could proudly call herself a board certified surgeon like her colleagues. No more worrying about keeping her job or studying for the boards again. She was in control of her life again and outside of work there was a wedding to plan, which had been more stressful than she had hoped.

She was thankful to have friends and family in the area to help her with the wedding planning. Her youngest sister Alice, now a first year medical student at the University of Washington, was her maid of honor. Catherine Avery became the hospital's new Head of Urology over the summer, to Jackson's dismay, but April didn't mind having her future mother-in-law around. There was Lexie Grey-Sloan, who had become one of her closest friends. She also offered to pitch in ideas for the wedding. She was still on a wedding high after marrying Mark Sloan three months earlier in July.

It was October 11, 2013. Not only was it exactly a year since the car accident but it was also the day when Jordan Charles Avery was born. His first couple of months alive were spent in the NICU. Since then his health hadn't been in danger and his development carried on without any problems. He had grown into a healthy 1-year old baby.

"First steps! Jackson, he's taking his first steps!" April shrieked in the living room. She couldn't stop beaming at the sight of Jordan waddling towards her. "Jackson, hurry before he falls!"

Jackson ran into the living room, video camera in hand and wearing only his boxers. He hit the record button and crouched down on the floor. "Way to go, dude! You're walking!"

April knelt down on the floor with her arms wide open. "Come to Mommy, Jordan."

Jordan had a big grin on his face. He seemed to be just as happy as his parents that he was finally walking on his own. He started crawling at eight months, so they hoped he would be walking soon after that. However, they waited a little longer than they expected.

"Aww, good job! We're so proud of you," she said, using her high-pitched baby voice, after he reached her. April picked him up and showered him with kisses all over his cheeks. "I think you just wanted to wait until your birthday."

Jackson turned off the video camera and set it on the floor. "I'm telling you, this kid has legs built for dunking. I can't wait to teach him basketball."

"Not so fast. He could be the next Messi. His Aunt Alice will make sure he grows up with some soccer in his blood," she added, then she grinned at her fiancé. "I'm so excited right now. I don't even care that we're supposed to be at work in a half an hour."

"Oh, crap! I still have to take a shower," Jackson remembered and made a mad dash for the bathroom.

April stood up, carrying Jordan in one arm and holding the video camera with the other. She sat down on the couch, setting her son on her lap. "Let's watch you walk again while we wait for Daddy to get ready," she suggested.

Alice Kepner entered the apartment using the spare key April gave her. She closed the door behind her with her foot and carried a large cardboard box towards the coffee table. "Here are the decorations for Jordan's party tomorrow," she said, setting the box down. She waved at her nephew, who happily pointed at her. "Hi, Jordan! Happy Birthday!"

"Oh my gosh, you have to watch this video," April chirped and patted the empty space next to her on the couch. "Guess what Jordan just did a few minutes ago?"

The two sisters watched the video of Jordan walking, then Alice squealed in excitement. "Oh, yay! He's walking now," she cheerfully replied. "Mom and Dad are going to be so thrilled about this. Let's not tell them he can walk yet. I think it'd be more fun if they watch him do it at the party."

April nodded in agreement. "Good idea. Are you sure you can pick them up from the airport later? You don't have a long break in between your two classes. I don't want you rushing or being late for class."

"I can do it, Apes. Don't worry about it," the younger Kepner insisted. She slouched on the couch and placed her feet on top of the coffee table. "How did you get through med school? It's only been a little over a month and I'm _dying_."

"It's always tough your first year. You're trying to get used to everything, but you'll be fine," she assured her. "Anyway, thanks for the birthday decorations. Jackson and I will try to set up the living room for the party after work – if we're not exhausted."

"Well, I can come over after class and do it," she offered.

"No, no. You're already picking up Mom and Dad and you're also taking care of maid of honor duties while balancing med school. You've got enough work on your plate," she politely dismissed her. "Have you narrowed down choices for the bridesmaid dresses?"

Alice grimaced as her eyes slowly wandered towards her feet. "I've been umm… loaded with homework, so no. I haven't."

"Oh, it's okay. It's only October, but make sure you decide on something by December. We need to get measurements done." April gently patted Alice's thigh. "Don't let medical school drive you crazy. It'll be worth it in the end."

"Does today feel eerie at all?" she asked curiously. "I mean, it's been exactly a year since you almost died, both you and Jordan."

April shook her head. "I don't think about that. I'm more grateful that we survived, especially him," she said, tickling Jordan's stomach and smiling when his giggles filled the living room. "And it's his birthday, so it's all about happy times."

* * *

Jackson and April walked into the daycare center to drop off Jordan. Also inside were Callie Torres and Arizona Robbins, who were getting ready to leave Sofia behind. April decided to show him off to her coworkers and let Jordan walk around.

"Look, Jordan. It's one of your best friends, Sofia," she excitedly said after she set him on the floor.

Callie smiled as Jordan slowly took a few steps towards them. "Hey, when did he start walking?"

"Just this morning," April answered, then she laughed when Sofia hugged Jordan and kissed his cheek. "How cute is that?"

Callie nervously laughed as Sofia continued to peck Jordan's cheek. "Umm, Sofia. That's enough, sweetie." She forced herself to intervene, gently pulling her daughter away from the Birthday Boy. "Okay, let's give him some room to breathe."

Arizona grinned. "Sloan's genes at work," she quipped. She knelt down and grabbed a hold of Jordan's little hands. "Happy Birthday, Jordan! Do you know how old you are today?" The baby responded with gibberish, but it was enough to draw squeals from the three female doctors. "Yup, you're a year old today. You're a big boy now."

It was many months late, but because Arizona took care of Jordan in the NICU just as much as Alex did, April asked her to become his second godmother. Plus, the ratio of godfathers to godmothers bothered her and she felt better if there was an even number of godparents for Jordan. She and Jackson agreed that the perky pediatric surgeon was the perfect candidate.

The parents said their goodbyes to their children and left to change into their scrubs. An elevator arrived to pick them up and Catherine Avery was inside alone. She immediately smiled at April and Jackson as they joined her inside, along with Callie and Arizona.

"Good morning, my lovelies," Catherine greeted them. She squeezed her son's face, kissing his cheek and purposely embarrassing him in front of their coworkers. "Did you just drop Jordan off at daycare?"

"Yes and he might have himself a new girlfriend," April joked. "Sofia wouldn't stop kissing his cheek. It was so adorable."

"And a little worrisome," Callie muttered and laughed. "She's definitely a Sloan."

Catherine chuckled, then she faced April. "I thought of a brilliant idea for the wedding reception, honey. What do you think about the Space Needle? I can get the entire place reserved for your special day."

"Uhh, the Space Needle?" the redhead asked, clearly taken aback by the suggestion. "Isn't that a bit expensive? And I'm actually afraid of heights. Jackson, Reed and Charles once went up the Space Needle and left me behind because the elevator was enough for me to wuss out."

"Oh, that's not a problem, dear. We can just blindfold you on the way up," she suggested.

Jackson pursed his lips, slowly shaking his head. "Mom, no. It's a nice idea, but we're looking for something more simple and non-life threatening for April… or anybody for that matter." With their luck, the Seattle Needle would probably explode on their wedding day.

"Fine, fine. I'll keep searching, but if you change your mind-"

"Trust me. We won't," he replied, forcing a grin. "Thanks anyway."

The elevator doors opened and Catherine stepped out first. She turned around and pointed at the partially visible hickey on April's neck. "By the way, you should cover that up better, honey. You don't want to distract your patients."

April reached up, covering her hickey with her hand. "I-I umm… thank you," she stammered, her cheeks bright red as she heard Callie and Arizona snickering behind her. She bit her lower lip while she walked out of the elevator with Jackson. "Your fault."

Jackson chuckled. "Not really." He kissed her temple as they strolled into the attendings locker room. "The Space Needle? What did I tell you? My mom wants our wedding to feel like one of those A-list celebrity extravaganzas."

"But we politely declined her offer and she left it alone. It's not a big deal, Jackson."

"Not yet anyway," he replied and smirked. "Just wait and see. She'll get crazier as the months go by."

* * *

The living room was decorated with a cars and trains theme. A customized birthday sign with Jordan's name hung on the wall above the TV and there were different colored balloons tied to some of the furniture. Most of the surgeons were able to attend the late afternoon birthday party as well as family members visiting for the weekend.

Big Joe and Karen flew in from Ohio the day before and were staying in Jackson and April's apartment until they left. They were delighted to see their grandson walking on his own, making videos of him with their cell phones.

Libby and Kimmie Kepner arrived that morning with their children. Libby brought her youngest, Mason, and Kimmie's only child, Maya, tagged along with her. They were staying with Alice at her apartment.

To Jackson's surprise, his other sister made a last minute decision to fly into Seattle for the weekend. Joslyn Avery was a cardiothoracic surgeon at Yale-New Haven Hospital. She arrived solo and he was fairly certain she decided to visit because Samantha was too busy to celebrate Jordan's birthday for a day. She hadn't met her nephew yet and she had been curious to meet April since she learned that Samantha met their future sister-in-law first.

Like her siblings, she had the same bluish-green eyes. Her long, curly black hair dropped past her shoulders. She too looked like Catherine, but slightly shorter than both her mother and her sister. If Jackson had to choose, he preferred Joslyn's presence over Samantha's. While she showed signs of arrogance, she wasn't as unbearable as the eldest Avery sibling.

"Your apartment's a little small," Joslyn noted while she chatted with her brother. "You don't think it's claustrophobic?"

"Actually, I think it's comfortable and nicer than most apartments in Seattle," he replied, rolling his eyes. Jackson turned his head to watch Derek Shepherd entertain all of the children with simple magic tricks he randomly knew how to do in the middle of the living room. "When April and I are married we'll probably search for a house. One that you can complain about being too small as well."

Joslyn softly chuckled. "Your sarcasm was always adorable, Jackie." She scanned the living room for April, who was nowhere to be found. "Where is your fiancée?"

"Probably in the kitchen getting the cake ready. Why?"

"Well, I was wondering who her bridesmaids are. I know she has three sisters, one of them being her maid of honor. Don't you think it'd be fair to have one of your sisters in the wedding?"

"Uhh… you should talk to April about that," he answered, clearly uncomfortable. "Mom's already making me have David be a groomsman since I was in his and Sam's wedding."

"What? And not have Vince in your wedding?" Joslyn asked, appearing offended. She placed her hands on her hips. "You can't have David be in it and exclude _my_ husband. You were in my wedding too. That's not fair."

Jackson groaned. "Fine, I'll have Vince in the wedding too. I needed one more groomsman anyway," he admitted.

Joslyn grinned. "Good. By the way, I think April is a doll and a beautiful woman."

"While I definitely agree with you, kissing my ass won't force me to put you in the wedding," he said and smirked at her. "Talk to April. In fact, you should be talking to her instead of me. You know me already, so go bug her in the kitchen."

She took her brother's advice, walking into the kitchen where April was deciding where to put the single candle on Jordan's birthday cake. She leaned back against the counter, smiling at the redhead. "You should put it next to that tiger sitting on the cake," she suggested.

April held the candle just above the surface of the cake, then she slowly pushed it in. She nodded approvingly and she clapped her hands underneath her chin. "That looks good. Thank you," she cheerfully said. She smiled at Joslyn. "By the way, I'm so happy you decided to fly in for Jordan's birthday. It means a lot to Jackson and I, even if he thinks you're just here to make your sister look bad for not coming."

Joslyn waved her hand and laughed. "Oh, but he's right. I mean, it's great that I'm finally meeting Jordan – and you, of course – but Sam has always been work before family. I want you to remember that."

"Umm… I'll keep that in mind. She'll come to the wedding though, right?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "I would like a solid head count, so we're not wasting money on empty seats."

"Sam will be there. Our mother will make sure of that," she assured her. "So, who are your bridesmaids?"

April began pointing out certain people in the living room. "My youngest sister Alice is my maid of honor, then there's Libby and Kimmie, who are my other sisters. They're bridesmaids. And over by the couch with the long, brown hair is Lexie Grey-Sloan. She's one of my closest friends." She looked back at Joslyn. "I'm still trying to decide on the last one. It's still up in the air."

"What about yours truly?" Joslyn pointed at herself. "Actually, Jackson thinks I'd be a better choice than Sam. He asked me to talk to you because he wasn't sure if you'd be okay with him making the decision for you. C'mon, it's not a complete wedding party without one of your future in-laws. You don't want to be rude, do you?"

"N-no. Not at all," she reluctantly replied. "I think… you should be one of my bridesmaids. Umm… please?"

"I'd love to!" Joslyn loudly said and hugged April. "You won't regret this decision, dear. I promise your wedding will be a thousand times more beautiful because you chose the right sister-in-law to be in it."

April glanced up at the ceiling as Joslyn nearly squeezed the life out of her. "I can barely contain my excitement," she murmured before she politely pushed her away. "I have to bring out Jordan's cake now."

Joslyn left her alone in the kitchen and proudly approached Jackson. "It's a done deal, Jackie. I'm in the wedding now."

"Why does it sound way too easy to me?"

"Because I used the Joslyn Method." She moved closer to her brother, lowering her voice to a whisper. "A hint of charm, a pinch of persuasion and a slice of white lies. I always get what I want."

Whatever his sister said to manipulate April, he knew it worked since she openly admitted it to him. "Awesome," he sarcastically replied and shook his head. "That's the last time you get to use the Joslyn Method on April. Am I clear?"

"Business is taken care of, so my work is done."

April asked everyone to gather around the living room to sing "Happy Birthday" to Jordan. She lit the single candle on the cake before she brought it out from the kitchen. It was a chocolate and vanilla cake with the letters written in blue icing. A small tiger sat next to the candle to symbolize Jordan's first buddy, Benny. She set the cake on the coffee table and knelt down on the floor with Jackson, who held their son in his arms.

The baby was mesmerized by the candle and even tried to touch it, but Jackson made sure to keep his hand away from the tiny flame. As everybody started singing for Jordan, Lexie was busy snapping photos of the trio with the cake. For April, it had become an emotional moment for her. Her eyes were filled with tears and Jackson grew concerned after they finished singing.

"Are you okay, April?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay," she blubbered, trying to keep her composure while she dabbed away her tears with a napkin. "I… I'm just grateful that Jordan survived and is alive and well. Seriously, Robbins and Karev made sure our baby boy would make it. I still can't thank you enough."

Alex Karev quickly shrugged and smiled. "The little tyke was always gonna make it." He pointed at the cake. "Can you blow the freakin' candle out already? Some of us want cake."

She chuckled, then she leaned forward with Jackson. They blew the candle out for Jordan at the same time. Their family and friends cheered and applauded, which made the Birthday Boy imitate them with his own clapping. He had the honor of tasting April's cake first, though most of it ended up on his face than in his mouth.

April finished serving cake to their guests before she followed her fiancé into the kitchen. He was done cleaning up the cake and frosting from Jordan's hands, face and clothes. "Successful party?"

"Successful party," he repeated her question with an answer. "So, my sister's in the wedding now. Are you okay with that?"

"I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I just don't want you to think you're required to have one of my sisters in the wedding, especially when one of them likes to manipulate people," he suggestively said.

She slightly grimaced. "Joslyn sort of cornered me. I had a hard time saying no to her _because_ she's your sister. I did need one more bridesmaid. Don't you need one more groomsman?"

"Taken care of," he answered, rolling his eyes. "Her husband."

"C'mon, it won't be so bad," she insisted and kissed his cheek. "Now that we have our wedding party figured out, we can move forward with the other plans."

Jackson grinned. "Like honeymoon ideas?"

April wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her chin against his shoulder. "What type of honeymoon do you have in mind?"

"One that forces us to stay in our hotel room all day long," he teased. "Of course we'll have one or two hours of those days to do sightseeing or whatever, depending on where we go. Tropical sounds nice. Let's not go to a place where we're forced to join a tour group or some crap like that."

"Cap," Jordan blurted out.

Both Jackson and April stared at their son with wide eyes. It was the first real word he spoke, but neither of them were prepared for what he had picked up.

"No, that can't be your first word, baby!" April panicked, pressing her hands against her cheeks. She slightly glared at Jackson. "His first word's supposed to be Mama or Dada not… _that_. What did I say about cursing around him? I already have a hard time reminding Alex about that."

"He didn't say… _that_. He said cap, which is a completely different word," he said defensively. "It was cap, okay? In fact, let's not count this word as his first. He's very close to saying Mama and Dada, so we should leave that space in the baby book open until he says one of them."

She smirked at him. "Fine, but be careful. I think he's smarter than we thought."

He watched her leave the kitchen, then he looked at their son. "Thanks for getting me in trouble, dude." His son happily grinned back at him, making him laugh. "I knew it. You're a mama's boy." He kissed his forehead and returned to the living room to finish off the party.

* * *

The following weekend, the Plastics Posse flew across the country to North Carolina for their plastic surgery conference hosted by Duke University Hospital. They had spent a month preparing for their presentation. Mark forced Jackson to practice his parts in front of their colleagues – while making all of them record him with their cameras. Whether or not video cameras would be present during their real presentation, he wanted his student to get over his fear of public speaking and more importantly, video cameras.

They arrived on a Friday night, checking in to their hotel and getting a good night's sleep. The conference wouldn't officially start until Saturday afternoon, so Mark convinced Jackson to explore Duke's college campus with him in the morning the Sloan way.

And Jackson considered himself to be an extremely fit person. He ran around the neighborhood every morning, sometimes before April and Jordan woke up. But he never once thought Mark Sloan, his much older mentor, could outrun him during a morning jog. Despite how embarrassed he was about to feel, he stopped in his tracks and bent over resting his hands on his knees. He certainly wasn't awake enough for the mini marathon Mark planned.

"Avery, are you kidding me?" Mark chuckled. He approached Jackson and ran in place. "You're the poster boy for the fountain of youth and you can't even stick with my pace? You gotta keep the legs pumping, get the blood flowing again before our presentation. What's the problem?"

"Cramp," he muttered and sat down on a bench. "Some Gatorade would be nice."

Mark patted his shoulder with a grin on his face. "Ah, I knew I forgot something before we left our hotel." He pointed at a random direction. "You know, I'm pretty sure we ran past a café earlier. I'll go back and buy us some Gatorade. We all need our electrolytes. Sit tight. I'll be right back."

Jackson let out a sigh of relief after Mark left him alone. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, sending April a quick "Good morning" text message. He rested his arms on his knees and placed his forehead on top of them as he tried to relax for a few minutes. His moment of relaxation was interrupted by a light tap on his shoulder.

"Excuse me, sir. Can you tell me where I can find Cameron Indoor Stadium? I'm a little lost."

He lifted his head to answer the man in front of him, but instead he was surprised to see who it was. The expression on the man's face matched his own reaction and those same bluish-green eyes stared directly into his. Was this really happening?

"_Dad_?"

* * *

**Let me know what you think please :)**

**I'm going with a Mon/Thurs schedule for this story, so chapter 2 will be posted on Monday!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews! Also for the record, I won't be incorporating real butterflies into this story lol... I had the title set before April's wedding idea happened on the show.**

**Here's chapter 2. Enjoy!**

* * *

It was a dream. Jackson was pretty sure of it. He fell asleep on the bench and he was having a dream – more like a nightmare – about his father. It had been about 15 years since he last saw Harper Avery Jr. and 11 years since he heard his voice. The older man standing in front of him was simply a figment of his imagination.

But he was real. He wasn't dreaming or hallucinating. The father who abandoned him stood a foot away from him. Harper Jr.'s appearance looked completely different from the last time Jackson saw him. When he was a high school senior his father always came home drunk and exhausted – if he wasn't too drunk to find his way home. Sometimes he neglected to shave his face. He looked sloppy and careless about the world.

Jackson could still remember the day Harper Jr. packed up and left without saying goodbye. He returned home from football practice. Catherine was in the living room, sobbing alone on the couch. He knew something wasn't right because he always saw his mother as a strong woman who rarely let her emotions get the best of her. Of course, he needed to know what was wrong.

First, there was a shouting match between Harper Jr. and Harper Sr. at Mass Gen, according to Catherine's recollection. The older Avery threatened to have his son fired for his disorderly conduct and his alcoholism was out of control. Not to mention he was slowly destroying the respect the Avery name carried in the surgical world. Instead, Harper Jr. quit his job, walking out on his father. Catherine had been in surgery when the incident happened, so she was unable to stop him from leaving. By the time she arrived home, most of his clothes were gone and she found a post-it note from her ex-husband telling her that the divorce papers would be coming soon.

For the longest time, Jackson hated his father for leaving him and his mother like a coward. Samantha and Joslyn were both at Harvard. They weren't far from home, but their younger brother was the person who prevented Catherine from falling apart.

Now, the Harper Jr. he saw was clean shaven, gray-haired and _sober_. There was a wedding ring on his left finger. Jackson slightly looked like his father, but the latter had lighter skin. Suddenly, all of the hatred he had for him returned.

"Jackson," the elder Avery calmly said and softly smiled. "You uhh… what a surprise. You live here in Durham?"

"No," he sternly replied before he stood up. The two men were the same height as they stood face to face. If they weren't in public, Jackson wouldn't hesitate to beat the crap out of his father. "I'm here for a conference. A plastic surgery conference, actually."

"Plastic surgery," Harper Jr. recited the words slowly. "You're a plastic surgeon?"

"No, I'm a cardiothoracic surgeon attending a meaningless plastic surgery conference," he sarcastically replied. Jackson folded his arms and never let the scowl on his face disappear. "And what are you doing here? Is this where you've been hiding since you left Boston?"

He shook his head. "Oh, no. I don't live in North Carolina. Virginia. Norfolk, to be exact. My uhh, stepson's on a recruiting trip here for basketball. Duke's taking a good look at him, so I thought I'd come with him and check out the campus. Except we got split up and I don't know-"

"Listen, I don't care. We stopped caring about your whereabouts after you left," he harshly interrupted him. "I haven't heard from you in 11 years and now I have to hear that you have another son who you actually take time to care about? Where were you when _I _needed a father? Oh, yeah. You were busy getting drunk at bars and being a selfish bastard."

Harper Jr. raised his hands in front of his chest. "Jackson, I was a different person then. Everything was complicated and I had to leave. I wasn't alright. I needed help."

"And Mom tried to get you help, but you didn't want it." Jackson pointed his finger at him. "I hate you. I know hate is a strong word and I normally don't feel this way towards anybody, but I _hate _you. Honestly, I was hoping you were dead, rotting in a ditch somewhere because you were too drunk to find a place to stay. You've been dead to me since my 21st birthday, so let's keep it that way."

"Jackson-"

"Avery!" Mark called out as he ran towards the two men with bottles of Gatorade in his hands. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah, I'm ready," he answered and started running alongside his mentor, leaving Harper Jr. behind.

Mark looked back at Harper Jr. wondering why he continued to stare at them. "Who was that guy?"

Jackson never bothered to look back and quickly shook his head. "Nobody. Just somebody asking for directions."

* * *

April finished suturing a gash on a young man's leg after a skateboarding accident brought him to the ER. She covered the newly done stitches with a dressing, then she smiled at her patient. "All done, Mr. Simpson. You're free to go. Remember to come back next week for a follow up," she advised. "Oh! And wear a helmet. The last thing I want to see is you back in the ER because you busted your head open this time."

"Helmets are for pussies," the teenager bluntly said. He slid off of the hospital bed and grinned. "But this scar is gonna look badass. Thanks, Dr. Kepner."

"Wear a helmet anyway!" she called out as he left the ER with his father. She started cleaning up and sterilizing her area when she felt a light tug on her lab coat.

"April." It was Lexie. She was working at the hospital again and finally getting her fifth year as a resident over with. "I uhh, need you… for a consult. Are you busy?"

"No, I can help you unless a big trauma arrives. Banks can cover for me." April walked out of the ER with Lexie, who appeared anxious and in a hurry about something. She typically walked with a slightly visible limp because of her prosthetic leg, but she was walking faster than usual. "Umm… everything okay, Lex?"

Lexie nervously laughed as she dragged April behind her. "Fine. I'm fine. Seriously, I'm fine."

She was completely unconvinced considering their destination was a women's restroom. "Uhh, okay. This isn't exactly the place I thought we would end up. Is there a patient in here?"

Lexie locked the door, then she pulled on April's arm, leading her to one of the bathroom stalls. She pushed the door open revealing various pregnancy tests and their boxes and wrappers on the floor. "Look at that!"

April stared at the pregnancy tests with wide eyes. "There has to be at least 20 tests here," she speculated before she suddenly gasped. "Lexie! Are these all yours? Did you steal all of these pregnancy tests?!"

"Well, I was gonna pay the hospital back," she sheepishly said. "Anyway, that's not the most important thing. Look closer, April. I drank almost two gallons of orange juice for this and they all say the same thing!"

The trauma surgeon crouched down, looking at the result of the closest pregnancy test. _Pregnant._ The next one had the same result and the one after that and the one after that. "Lexie, you're pregnant? That's great!" she chirped, but she grimaced when Lexie slowly shook her head. "Umm, not great?"

"No!" Lexie began pacing back and forth in front of April. "For the record, I do want to have kids with Mark, but we agreed we would start trying _after_ I finish my residency and pass my boards. I just don't understand how this happened. I'm on birth control, but of course that's not enough for Mark's super sperm."

"Birth control isn't 100% reliable, Lex." She forced herself to laugh when she glared at her. "Okay, not helping you there. Umm… shouldn't you talk to Meredith about this? I mean, she's your sister and all…"

"I can't talk to Meredith about this! Even if she promises to keep it a secret, it's common knowledge that she'll tell Cristina because they tell each other everything. And she'll probably tell Derek, who will tell Mark and then my husband will wonder why I couldn't just tell him. He'll probably assume I cheated on him-"

"Lexie Grey-Sloan, calm down!" April grabbed Little Grey's shoulders to stop her from pacing. "When did you start suspecting you were pregnant?"

Lexie quickly shrugged and sighed. "I don't know. Two weeks ago? Honestly, it's been two months since I got my period, but I didn't want to tell myself that I could be pregnant," she explained, frowning. "I finally decided to take a test. I knew I needed some backups, so I stole a bunch of tests from the supply closet."

April smirked at her. "And you thought 20 tests weren't too much?"

"I was in panic mode, so I grabbed as many as I could hold," Lexie groaned. "Maybe… there was a chance at least one of them would come out negative and it would debunk the reliability of pregnancy tests."

"And did any of them come out negative?"

"No," she replied, folding her arms. "I'm pretty sure I'm pregnant, but I need concrete confirmation." Lexie snapped her fingers and grinned at April. "I want you to perform an ultrasound for me. Like now."

April opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't find anything to say. "I… uhh, why don't you ask Addison to do it?" She cringed and bit her lower lip as Lexie stared at her unamused. "I'm on a roll, aren't I?"

"Please, just do it for me, April. We're the Death Dodging Duo, remember? We're supposed to have each other's backs," she reminded her. "Think about it. If Mark and Jackson were in our shoes, they would totally do it without hesitation. We're not breaking the law. You're a friend helping another friend. Please?"

"Alright, I'll do it." April pointed at the pregnancy tests scattered on the floor. "But umm, you should get rid of the evidence first before we do that."

* * *

"Dr. Sloan then used a flap of the patient's abdominal tissue to begin replacing the lost tissue from her breast," Jackson muttered. His eyes were focused on his index cards and never left them. His speech was monotone and barely audible, drawing awkward stares from the plastic surgeons attending Mark's lecture.

Since his encounter with Harper Jr. his head wasn't in the game. It had become a huge distraction for him and it showed through his parts of the presentation. And Mark had had enough of his half-assed effort to impress their peers.

"Thank you, Dr. Avery," he intervened, taking his index cards from him. "Step aside now. I'll take it from here."

Jackson moved to the side, but not without noticing the quick glare from his mentor, which clearly told him he was a dead man at the conclusion of the lecture. He knew he screwed up badly. He never wanted to embarrass Mark, but it was a little too late for damage control. He had been pissed and hurt during the rest of their morning jog. All he really wanted to do was punch someone, specifically his father.

He decided he wasn't going to tell anybody about what happened. Not his mother, his sisters or even April. As much as it bothered him to see his father apparently happy with a new family, he just wanted to forget it happened. He would rather move on than let an unexpected encounter with his estranged father ruin his weekend. But trying to forget didn't work. All he could think about was Harper Jr. and how he was alive and well – and it only made him even more upset.

Mark was able to save his presentation with his smooth talk and cheesy, yet effective jokes. At the conclusion of his lecture, he spent about 20 minutes chatting with other plastic surgeons, while Jackson waited outside. He used the free time to call April.

She was prepping Lexie's ultrasound in a locked examination room when her cell phone started ringing in her lab coat pocket. Pulling it out of her pocket, she smiled when she saw her fiancé's number and immediately answered his call.

"Hey, Jackson," she greeted him, checking the time on her watch. "Did your presentation just end? How did it go?"

"It went great," he lied. His portion was awful. "We uhh, kicked ass."

April wasn't convinced based on the disappointing tone in his voice. "Oh, really? Because you don't sound very excited right now. Is everything okay over there?"

"Fine. Tired." He sighed. "I just wanted to hear your voice for a couple of minutes."

"I'm actually with a patient right now," she regretfully said. She was missing his voice too. "Can I call you back later?"

"Sure," he replied with a frown. "I won't be busy."

"Jackson, are you sure you're okay? Whatever's on your mind, we can talk about it later when I call back. I gotta go now."

"I'm fine, April. I'll talk to you later then. I love you."

"Love you too. Bye," she said, then she hung up her cell phone and put it away in her pocket. April finished setting up the ultrasound machine and wore a pair of disposable gloves. "Ready, Lex?"

Lexie nodded, taking a deep breath. "Actually, I don't want to see the screen. Turn it around until it's official that I'm pregnant, please." She sort of hated herself for being so negative about the whole pregnancy issue because she wasn't like Cristina Yang, who didn't want children. She wanted children, just not at the moment.

April sat in front of Lexie's examination table. "Jackson sounded weird on the phone," she blurted out. "Like, he was pretending to be fine, but I could tell he wasn't fine."

"How did his voice sound?"

"Kind of bummed and mopey, I guess. He claims he's tired." She raised her eyebrow curiously. "What if he did something stupid and is afraid to tell me? What if he cheated on me?"

Lexie shook her head. "Jackson would be incredibly stupid to cheat on you. He knows he's a dead man if he ever did. Mark would kick his ass. Maybe he's seriously tired. Jet lag or whatever." She waved her hand. "Don't think about the worst case scenario, April. It'll screw with your head."

"Yeah, you're right. Anyway, the probe might be a little cold, but try not to move," April advised as she began the transvaginal ultrasound. She stared at the screen for a clear view of Lexie's uterus. When she found what she was looking for she slightly gasped. "Oh…"

"Oh? What's _oh_?" Lexie asked concerned. She grew impatient as her coworker quietly stared at the screen. "April!"

She looked back at her friend, forcing a smile. "Umm, well… you're definitely pregnant. I'd say about six or seven weeks." Turning the screen towards Lexie, she pointed at the two little nuggets inside of separate gestational sacs and sheepishly grinned. "Twins!"

Lexie stared at the screen with her mouth dropped open. "Aww, crap!"

April ignored the long line of profanities coming out of Lexie's mouth and smiled. "Well, I'll be the first one to congratulate you. Despite how pissed you are right now, this is great news. You're gonna be a mom, Lex!"

"Oh, kiss my ass, Kepner!" she snapped, then she cleared her throat and sighed. "Sorry. Since you're the person sticking a probe up my vagina and the only other person in this room, I have to yell at you."

"It's okay. I'm used to you guys yelling at me for no reason," she nonchalantly said. "When are you telling Mark?"

"After he returns from North Carolina. Until then, nobody finds out I'm pregnant." Lexie held out her pinky in front of April. "Even little Jordan can't know about this."

April softly laughed as she locked pinkies with Lexie. "I promise I won't tell anybody, but you better not chicken out and wait until you're showing underneath your scrubs."

"I'll tell him next week. Are you sure I'm having twins? Did you use the probe correctly?"

"Yes, you're having twins," she replied, rolling her eyes. "If you're still not convinced, I'll page Addison and have her join us. Want me to do that?"

"No, no. Let's keep Addison out of this for now." Lexie stared at the two nuggets on the screen and groaned. "I'm gonna kill my husband."

* * *

Jackson sat alone at the hotel bar, drinking his second glass of whiskey. Mark had been invited to dinner by plastic surgeons he knew when he lived in New York. He invited his student to tag along, but he politely passed and chose to return to their hotel. Seeing Harper Jr. had ruined most of his weekend. There was still another full day of conference lectures and presentations tomorrow, but his interest level dropped.

He hoped he and April could talk for a long time, but their conversation was cut short by incoming trauma after 20 minutes. Part of him wanted to ditch the rest of the weekend and return to Seattle early. He wanted to be as far away from his father as possible. However, that thought was destroyed when a familiar face sat beside him at the bar.

"Ginger ale, please," Harper Jr. ordered from the bartender. He looked at Jackson, who was clenching his jaw as he stared at his glass. "Whiskey?"

"Are you stalking me now?" the plastics fellow asked, ignoring his question.

"No, I didn't know you were staying here too." He grabbed his son's wrist when he began to stand up. "Jackson, I know you're angry with me and you have a right to be. Just let me explain myself first, then you can go."

Jackson sat down again, avoiding eye contact with his father. He thought he might punch his face in if he looked at the man who never really was a father to him. "Talk."

Harper Jr. sipped his ginger ale before he spoke. "First of all, I'm sorry for never being there for you. None of it was your fault. I was a sick drunk. All I cared about was escaping into my own world and forgetting about the fact that I was a famous surgeon's son," he explained. "I left Boston to get away from the pressure. Alcohol made me feel better, so I pushed away your mother and anybody who tried to help me. It took a very long time for me to accept help."

"When I first arrived in Norfolk I went to a diner. I was really drunk, but I was starving," he continued. "There was this waitress. At first, she didn't want to serve me. Instead, she threatened to call the cops on me because I was being obnoxious and idiotic. I don't know why she changed her mind. I guess she could see I needed help. She convinced me to join Alcoholics Anonymous. She said she'd sponsor me. It was a long process, but I sobered up. I haven't had a drink in ten years."

"Good for you," Jackson murmured. "That doesn't excuse you from completely disappearing after my 21st birthday. No phone calls or even a crappy birthday card."

"I umm… after I got sober, the waitress – her name's Farrah – and I got married. We fell in love during my process to sobriety. She had a little boy named Dean. He's my only stepchild," he added. "Dean gave me another chance to be a good father. I wanted to make up for the mistakes I made with you and your sisters, do the things I never did with you."

"So you decided to erase us from your family history and pretend we never existed," he bitterly said.

Harper Jr. quickly shook his head. "No, that's not what I meant."

"Oh, please. You haven't contacted Sam or Jos or myself in more than a decade, _Harper_." Jackson glared at his father. "I can't even call you Dad because you were hardly around to act like one."

"How's your mother?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

"She's doing well without you." Jackson finished his whiskey and cleared his throat. "Transferred to Seattle Grace Mercy West to involuntarily torture me. She's shacking up with Richard Webber."

"Richard Webber?" Harper Jr. softly chuckled. "I haven't seen that man since the mid-90's. How's he doing?"

"Alright, I guess." He shrugged and rolled his eyes. "We don't exactly meet eye to eye these days."

Harper Jr. slowly nodded. "Understandable." He was interested in Jackson's decision to choose plastics, but his son rudely brushed him off earlier that morning. "Tell me more about plastics. I think it's good that you passed on cardio."

"Because it means I won't turn into you, right?" he answered with a smirk.

"Jackson, I'm trying to make nice with you. Can we have a civil conversation?" the elder Avery pleaded.

Jackson stood up, making sure Harper Jr. couldn't stop him this time around. "Go to Hell," he sternly replied and left the bar angrier than before their talk.

* * *

The next day, April stood outside of the pit with Owen Hunt, Kevin Banks, Derek and a few residents. Most of their Sunday afternoons didn't have major trauma coming in, but Owen had received a call about an incoming patient in need of special treatment. He wasn't given the details over the phone other than it was a neurological issue and a high profile status.

"Who do you think it is?" Kevin asked curiously. "Maybe a celebrity? A hot model?"

"Whoever it is, they don't want it getting heavy attention from the press until we have a diagnosis," Owen answered. "I've already asked security to keep nosy news reporters out of the hospital. So yeah, whoever's in that ambulance is apparently a big deal."

They waited for another five minutes before the sirens of an ambulance were within earshot. Owen led his team towards the back of the vehicle as the doors swung open. A male paramedic pushed the gurney out, while a man wearing an Arizona Cardinals polo and black pants followed him from behind.

"Barry Evans, 31 years old. Took a hard hit to his back in the 2nd quarter of the Cardinals and Seahawks game, lost feeling in his legs," the paramedic explained. "Patient is conscious and stable. Says sensation in his legs comes and goes, but his reflexes failed to respond to neurological tests."

April nearly choked on her own saliva. Barry Evans, her high school crush who made her feel like the most pathetic girl in the world, was her patient… sort of. She hadn't seen or spoken to him since high school. She was able to attend her 10-year high school reunion, but he wasn't there. He was the starting quarterback for the Cardinals, so people who followed the NFL knew him well, but she knew him on a personal level.

She would never admit it to anybody, especially Jackson, but she used to know everything about him in high school. She didn't consider herself to be a stalker, more like a casual observer. And he was the most popular boy in her class. It wasn't hard to find out information about him. Seeing him again in person made her feel a little nervous.

Owen and Derek pushed Barry's gurney into one of the ER's trauma rooms. Their patient was strapped down to prevent him from moving and the brace around his neck was for precautionary reasons.

"He never saw it coming," the man in the polo shirt said. "The sack came from his blind side. I'm Dr. Phillips, the team's doctor. We ran every test we could on his legs and feet. He was barely responsive to them. Will he be alright?"

"We'll need to run some tests on his back to find out if he has any structural damage to his spinal cord," Derek answered. He stood beside Barry's head and smiled. "Hello, Mr. Evans. I'm Dr. Shepherd. I'm a neurosurgeon at this hospital. We're going to do everything we can to help you, okay?"

Barry looked at Derek worriedly. "Am I paralyzed? I'm paralyzed, huh?" he groaned. "Shit, my damn left tackle can't ever fucking give me breathing room. The dude sucks. Damn rookie."

"We don't know yet. We have to do an MRI scan to determine what type of damage you sustained from your hit." Derek moved down to his legs. "Can you wiggle your toes for me?"

Barry stared at his feet, but he shook his head. "Nope. Can't feel anything," he answered, then he looked at the redhead trying to hide her face behind Kevin. "April Kepner?"

April stepped to the side to get a better view of Barry. She shyly smiled and bit her lower lip. "Barry, hi."

Kevin smirked at April. "You two know each other?"

"We attended the same high school," she muttered. "I had to tutor him because he was a dumbass."

"April Kepner, holy crap," Barry chuckled. He looked the same to her. He had the same dirty blonde hair, piercing blue eyes and a smile that used to make her legs grow weak. She, on the other hand, had changed a lot over the years since he last saw her. "You… you got _hot_."

"Uhh, thanks." April's eyes wandered towards Derek, who was testing Barry's reflexes. It was clear to her that he couldn't feel anything from the waist down since he continued to stare at her. "By the way, it's Dr. Kepner when I'm working."

Barry grinned. "Dr. Kepner. Has a nice ring to it. I always knew you'd become something great. Most of the nerds in high school are the successful ones," he noted. "I'm actually glad to see you again. It's been what? Is it 13 years now?"

April slowly nodded. "Yes. It's been a while." She softly laughed. "For someone who just suffered a major injury, you should be more concerned about your career than anything else."

"I was- I mean, I _am_." His eyes were trying to check her out, even though there wasn't much to see. Her navy blue scrubs were covered by the yellow hospital gown she wore for incoming trauma cases. "But uhh… I'm feeling a little better now."

* * *

**Lemme know what you think please :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews! No idea if we'll get any Japril tonight, but you'll find some here ;) Still not a medical expert, did a bit of research for this one.**

**Enjoy chapter 3!**

* * *

It didn't take long for news reporters from sports channels to flock Seattle Grace Mercy West. Owen planned to hold a news conference for them after Derek reached a diagnosis for Barry's injury. Until then, security worked hard to keep the snoopers outside.

Just outside of the star quarterback's hospital room, April stood by the nurses' station with Alex and Kevin. The two men were having a detailed conversation about Barry's accomplishments since his college years as they watched a nurse pamper him in his room.

"Dude had a killer arm at Ohio State," Alex recalled. "I watched him tear apart our defense when they played at Iowa. Freakin' beast. My Buckeyes hatred shot up because of him."

"He won the Heisman, right?" Kevin asked.

Alex nodded. "Junior year. Ohio State won the national championship that year too, then he bailed on them for the NFL. If he wasn't so injury prone, he'd have a Super Bowl ring under his belt." He slowly shook his head. "Dude is so unlucky."

April rolled her eyes. "Guys, he's not that great," she scoffed. "Aaron Rodgers is way more talented than him."

"Since when did you know anybody's name in the NFL?" the peds fellow asked with a smirk.

"Since I started living with you and Jackson. Just because I didn't watch the games with you two it doesn't mean I never picked up on a few things," she said defensively. "And like I said, Barry's not that great. You're talking about him like he's a god."

Kevin nudged Alex's arm with his elbow. "She's only saying that because she went to high school with him."

"Seriously?" Alex asked intrigued. "So you two know each other, huh?"

"I tutored him in Physics and in return, he humiliated me," she replied, folding her arms. "That's all I'm gonna tell you."

"What'd he do? Ask you to prom as a joke?" he teased. He cleared his throat when she refused to answer him, looking down at her shoes. "Oh, uhh… that sucks. Sorry."

"Not exactly," she mumbled. "He made me think he was going to ask me, but he asked my sister Kimmie instead."

Kevin reached over and gently patted April's shoulder. "It's okay. You have Jackson now. Too bad he's not here to kick his ass for you. Or Karev and I can do it, if you want," he offered, eliciting a nod of approval from Alex.

April softly laughed, shaking her head. "No, that's not necessary. He's already in bad shape. Thanks anyway." She began walking away from her coworkers. "I'm gonna go see what Dr. Shepherd found. You two can continue acting like fangirls in front of Barry's room."

She walked down the hallway to search for Derek and Lexie, who were working together on Barry's case. They were inside of a small room examining the MRI scans hanging against the wall.

"Dr. Shepherd?" the trauma surgeon politely called out as she entered the room. "I hope I'm not interrupting. I just wanted to know if you found anything conclusive from the MRI."

Derek smiled at April. "No, you're not interrupting. Actually, we did find something," he informed her and pointed at a small mass on one of the scans. "The hard tackle he suffered from could be a blessing in disguise. He has a tumor pressing on his spinal cord at the lumbar spine, which explains why he lost sensation in his legs. My guess is the tumor had been growing on his spine and the tackle pushed it into his spinal cord."

"Oh, wow. He's been playing with a tumor on his spine?"

"Looks like it. Maybe it hadn't been giving him any discomfort until now, so it doesn't seem likely that anyone on the Cardinals medical staff knew it was even there," he speculated. "The tumor must have developed after he passed his preseason physicals because there's no way he would've been cleared to play if it was already present then."

April nodded. "So what happens next?"

"Well, I'll be able to remove the tumor. We'll need to run a biopsy to determine if it's benign or malignant," the neurosurgeon explained. "Removing the tumor should release the pressure off of his spinal cord. However, it could still be a long recovery due to some possible nerve damage from the tackle, though he should be able to use his legs again after extensive rehabilitation."

Lexie sighed. "Poor guy." She grinned at April. "You went to high school with him?"

April slightly smiled. She expected to be asked that question a lot. "I'm not proud of it, okay? I'll admit I crushed on him in high school, but I regret it now. He was a douche."

"He seemed pretty interested in you earlier," Derek pointed out.

"It doesn't matter. I'm engaged to a man who loves and respects me," she insisted. "And a blast from my past isn't going to change that."

* * *

In North Carolina, Mark and Jackson were having a late lunch after attending an afternoon lecture about skin grafts. It was a more laid back day for the latter since he hadn't seen his father at all, to his relief.

Mark chuckled at the latest text message he received from Lexie. "Man, we're missing out. We got an NFL player with a tumor pressing on his spinal cord at Seattle Grace," he said, sounding slightly bitter. "She gets to scrub in with Derek. That lucky woman."

"Who is it?"

"Barry Evans of the Arizona Cardinals," he answered. "Apparently, it's all over ESPN now or whatever. Got sacked from behind on a play, which caused the tumor to push into his spinal cord and he lost sensation in his legs."

"Barry Evans?" Jackson said, feeling disgusted. "He went to high school with April."

Mark pointed at his cell phone. "Oh, yeah. Lexie mentioned that too." He slyly grinned at Jackson. "You better watch out. He might sack her from behind too."

Jackson furrowed his eyebrows. "You're not funny." He rolled his eyes. "That guy treated her like crap. It's karma."

"Then there's nothing to worry about," he assured him. "And I was just messing with ya, Avery. Besides, April doesn't seem like the cheating type. I bet she was the kid who ratted out her classmates whenever she caught them cheating during tests."

"It wouldn't surprise me," he replied and smiled. "You're right. There's nothing to worry about. Why would April have any interest in a guy who basically used her in high school?"

"Exactly. We'll be back in Seattle tomorrow morning. Then you can make sweet love to her like you always do and everything will be alright again." Mark smirked at Jackson. "Plus, you've been uptight all weekend. Why is that? You definitely need to have sex when you see her again."

Jackson dismissively waved his hand. "It's nothing. I feel like an ass for almost ruining our presentation yesterday."

"Hey, forget about it," he insisted. "It wasn't a complete disaster and those doctors still thought we were awesome. Well, actually they thought I was awesome. Some of them thought you needed work on your public speaking skills."

"Thanks. Didn't need the reminder."

"Next time, I'll just give you a laser pointer and you won't have to talk," he teased. Mark received another text message on his cell phone. "Huh, Lexie just told me she found April giving Barry a massage in his room."

"_What_?" Jackson snarled.

Mark started laughing. "I'm just kidding. This text isn't even from Lexie."

Jackson threw a balled up napkin at Mark with a scowl on his face. "Asshole."

* * *

April strolled down the hallway after checking on a couple of her patients. She dropped off her patients' charts at the nurses' station, then she decided to visit Barry to see how he was doing. She wasn't in his room when Derek and Lexie broke the news to him, but she heard he didn't take it well.

He was watching TV, appearing disturbed by what was on the screen. She took a sneak peek of the TV as she walked into his room. He had _Sportscenter_ on and replays of his sack were being shown. She grimaced at her first sight of the play.

"Should you be watching this?" she asked concerned. "That looked extremely painful."

"I probably shouldn't be considering I feel like total crap right now, but I wanted to see how bad it looked on TV," he glumly answered. Barry turned it off and sighed. "So, let me get this straight. Dr. Shepherd can remove the tumor, but there's the possibility that I have cancer? And even if it's not cancer, it'll be a while before I can play football again. Does anything good come out of this?"

"Well, yeah. You'll get a chance to live." April sat down beside Barry's bed. "Do you have any family coming? Wife? Girlfriend?"

Barry shook his head. "Both of my parents passed away. My dad died from prostate cancer three years ago, my mom last year after a heart attack. My older brother Jim is stationed in Afghanistan, so no family coming," he explained. "No wife or girlfriend. I'm living the very single life at the moment."

April slightly frowned. "That's… depressing." To her, it really was. Barry dated a lot of girls in high school, so she was somewhat surprised to learn he wasn't attached. She remembered his parents fairly well. They used to buy crops from the farm. It saddened her that both of them weren't alive anymore. "So, nobody's here to support you?"

"Nah, Dr. Phillips is sticking around until I'm cleared to leave, but that's about it." He decided to change the subject. "How's Kimmie?"

"Uhh, married… to a lawyer." She slightly glared at him. "You really want to bring that up now?"

"Bring what up?" It took him a moment to realize what she was referring to. "Oh, prom? You're still pissed about that?"

April groaned. "It was humiliating and it took a very long time for me to get over it, so I'd appreciate it if we didn't talk about that," she chided. "But since you already brought it up, I know I wasn't as… _attractive_ as my sisters. I know I was a nerd who didn't have an impressive circle of friends. And yeah, I did like you. I mean, what girl in our school didn't? I thought you were a genuinely nice guy. What you did was shitty and it was even shittier of Kimmie to agree to go to prom with you. You really hurt me and I'm still waiting for an apology."

Barry sighed. "Fine. I'm sorry."

"Oh, give me a break. That didn't sound sincere at all," she scoffed and pointed at herself. "And I know you were checking me out earlier in the ER. I hate to break it to ya, but I'm engaged to a plastic surgeon _and_ we have a child together. This shop is closed, Barry Evans. You missed your chance."

"Okay…" He chuckled, then he pointed at the scar peeking out from her lab coat sleeve. "What happened there?"

April looked down at the scar on her left wrist. "Car accident last year," she muttered. "It was bad. I needed brain surgery, lost a portion of my memory for a while. My baby had to be delivered prematurely and he spent two months in the NICU. Not fun."

Barry quickly raised both of his eyebrows. "Damn. Well, I'm happy you survived." He tapped his fingers by his sides. "I didn't dislike you, April. I actually thought you were pretty cool in a smart girl kind of way. You would crack these jokes once in a while when you tutored me. You were funny."

She smirked at him. "But you still thought I was a loser, right?"

"Actually, I didn't. This is gonna sound incredibly shallow, but I was embarrassed to hang out with you at school because I knew my friends would give me a lot of crap about it. We obviously had very different social groups and I wanted to protect my reputation. It's pretty awful now that I think about it," he remorsefully replied.

"Whatever. I never expected you to talk to me at school anyway."

"You should've gotten more solos with the choir."

April laughed. "What? You always dozed off in church, so how would you know when I sang solos?"

"I didn't _always_ doze off. Sometimes I was awake," Barry said defensively. "And I heard you sing many times. You had the voice of an angel."

"Oh my gosh, stop trying to flatter me. This is pathetic." She stood up from her chair. "I get that you're trying to be friendly, but don't pretend you secretly wanted to be my friend in high school. You made it pretty clear that you used me to get closer to Kimmie. I really don't like it when people are lying to me, so just stop."

"I'm not pretending! If it wasn't for you helping me in Physics, I wouldn't have graduated and my free ride to Ohio State would've been revoked," he insisted. "I know I never thanked you for tutoring me, but you saved my ass. I really am sorry for hurting you in high school. You didn't go to prom because of me. You didn't deserve that, especially since you were the kindest girl I knew at that school. And to be honest, your sister turned out to be annoying. She was too clingy."

April smirked at Barry. "What'd you expect from a freshman?" She started walking towards the door. "Good luck tomorrow with your surgery. I hope it goes well."

"Will you stop by again?" he asked eagerly. "I don't have any family here. You're literally the closest to that. Some moral support would make me feel less horrified about this surgery."

"If I'm not busy," she answered as she stopped in the doorway. "I do have other patients to take care of, but I'll try."

Waiting for April outside was Lexie, who tried to hide her grin while she signed off a chart at the nurses' station. She closed the binder and caught up with the trauma surgeon in the hallway. "That guy totally wants you. He admitted it before Derek told him about the tumor."

"Who cares? I'm happily engaged to Jackson." April looked at Lexie, who had a mischievous smile on her face. "What is it, Lexie? Did he tell you certain things about me from high school?"

"Sort of. Just that you tutored him in Physics and you were a geek." Lexie softly laughed after April glared at her. "Oh, c'mon. This is perfect. He ignored you because you weren't the cheerleader type. You bloomed into a sexy doctor and he's practically kicking himself for being an ass to you. It's revenge of the nerd. You're the nerd and you're winning."

April shot her a confused look. "What are you rambling about? I'm not seeking revenge on him. He's in a fragile state right now and it's making him act apologetic about everything," she said confidently. "Thirteen years is a lot of time since I last saw him. He could be the same douche I knew then."

"I don't know about that," she disagreed. "He seemed pretty disappointed when I told him you were taken. Perhaps he's really not faking this whole nice thing."

"Whether he's being sincere or not, it doesn't matter. I love Jackson. I'm going to marry Jackson." She raised her eyebrow at Lexie. "Do you honestly think I would betray him because my high school crush apparently thinks I'm hot now?"

Lexie shook her head. "No, of course not." She slipped her hands inside of her lab coat pockets. "It's just I texted Mark earlier about Barry and he replied saying that Jackson's not too happy about it. I'm assuming he knows more about Barry than the rest of us."

April sighed. "My dad told him about something Barry did in high school, so Jackson isn't too fond of him." She rolled her eyes. "God, I hope he isn't jealous of him. There's no reason to be. Nothing's gonna happen between us. He should know that."

* * *

Monday morning couldn't come sooner for Jackson. Leaving North Carolina and the East coast in general was refreshing. He was relieved to be away from his father. He also wanted to see April, especially after he learned that Barry Evans was staying in their hospital. He didn't want to become the jealous fiancé, but she did describe Barry as "the perfect man" when she was in high school. Then again, she called him perfect too. There weren't a lot of men in her life to compare him to and the douche bag was the best comparison. He really hated that guy.

A taxi dropped him and Mark off in front of the hospital. He wasted little time searching for April. He had been annoyed the previous night when she told him she was spending the night at the hospital, so she could watch Barry's surgery in the morning. Alice picked up Jordan from daycare and stayed with him at their apartment overnight.

Jackson checked the OR board for Barry's surgery. It started an hour before he arrived. He made his way to the gallery for OR 2 and found April sitting inside alone, coffee cup in hand. Setting his carry on luggage by the entrance, he quietly sat down beside her and kissed her cheek. "Good morning."

"You're back," she chirped. Only April could be so perky in the morning. "How was your flight?"

"Slept through it like a baby," he said, placing his hand on her knee. He looked down at Derek and Lexie, who were working together on Barry's open back. "So that's the perfect Barry Evans. Not looking too perfect right now."

April playfully elbowed his side. "Don't be mean. He has a tumor. We're waiting for his biopsy results to see if it's cancerous or not," she told him and slightly frowned. "And he's lonely. He doesn't have anyone for support. I can't believe both of his parents are dead. I kind of knew them in high school because they bought crops from my dad. He's also not with anybody. And to think, he used to be this guy who had everything. He's a millionaire quarterback in the NFL and he's all alone. That's so sad."

Jackson couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Don't tell me you've gone soft for him. He was terrible to you."

"I believe in forgiveness. I actually haven't officially forgiven him, but everybody deserves a chance to be forgiven." She softly chuckled. "Plus, he told me he thought Kimmie was annoying, which makes me feel a little better about the whole prom thing."

"Whatever." He nuzzled his nose against her neck. "I thought about you all weekend."

"When aren't you thinking about me?" she teased.

Jackson placed gentle kisses on April's neck as his hand slowly moved up from her knee to her thigh. "Yeah, but I missed you. Let's go find an on-call room. This surgery will take hours before Shepherd's finished."

"But I want to watch it. Derek says he's 100% positive he'll get the whole tumor out and I want to be here when he does it," she said, pulling away from him. "It's still a tricky surgery because it's pressing down on Barry's spinal cord."

"Fine. I'm going home," he replied, clearly frustrated.

April sighed when Jackson got up from his seat and walked away. She stood up and followed him out the door. "Jackson, I didn't mean to upset you. Can you tell me what's bothering you? The tone of your voice on the phone made it obvious that something was wrong. Did you cheat on me?"

"What? No!" He answered and turned around to face her. "I didn't have a good weekend. Honestly, it was crap. I made myself look like an idiot in front of hundreds of plastic surgeons. Everything sucked, alright? The whole trip sucked. All I want is a little bit of alone time with my fiancée. Is that too much to ask for, April?"

She looked at him worriedly. "I'm sorry your weekend went badly, but-"

"But you'd rather spend time with some high school crush who didn't even like you," he sneered. "Because that makes a lot of sense."

"There's no reason to act like a dick to me," she retorted. "I don't know what your problem is, but it seems to me you're not being entirely honest with me. Did something else happen in Durham?"

Jackson kept his mouth shut. He already told himself he wouldn't make his encounter with Harper Jr. a big deal. He simply shook his head and started walking away from April. "I'll see you at home."

"Jackson! Don't just walk away from me," she called out to him, but he ignored her. April tilted her head back and groaned before she returned to the gallery. Besides appearing to be unnecessarily jealous of Barry, something was up with Jackson. She was certain there was more to his bad attitude than he was letting on. She hoped he would eventually open up to her because it was rare of him to be that upset with her.

* * *

April waited for Barry to wake up in his hospital room after Derek successfully removed the tumor from his spine. She was busy double checking her patients' charts, making sure one of her young residents didn't screw them up. He began stirring in his sleep, which caught her attention.

His eyes fluttered open and smiled at the sight of her sitting beside his bed. "You came back. I thought you weren't going to visit anymore since you never stopped by again yesterday."

"I was really busy in the ER yesterday, but I watched your surgery. It went well. Dr. Shepherd was able to get the whole tumor out. He'll be coming in at any moment for a post-op neurological assessment," she explained. "How are you feeling?"

"Groggy, but my legs don't feel entirely numb now. It's a little tingly. That's good, right?"

She nodded and smiled. "Yes, but you've still got a long recovery ahead of you."

"So is it cancer or not?"

"Your tumor was benign. It wasn't cancerous, which is even better news." April stood up, carrying her charts in one arm. "I'm glad you're doing okay. Even though you've been asleep for hours, get rest anyway. I'll page Dr. Shepherd and let him know you're awake now."

Barry reached over, grabbing April's hand. "Hold on a second. I want to thank you for the support even though I wasn't a friend to you in high school. You could've held a grudge the whole time I've been here, but you didn't." He gently rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. "I always knew you were a good person."

April tried to pull her hand away as politely as possible. He was smiling at her the way Jackson did whenever he wanted to charm his way for sex. It was becoming unsettling for her. "Umm... it's no problem at all. That was a long time ago. It's okay. I forgive you."

"I should've just asked you to prom. We would've had fun together."

"No, we wouldn't. You would've ditched me for your friends. Trust me," she said as she walked towards the door. She stopped to turn around and look at him. "You're still pretty drugged up, so I don't think you know what you're saying right now."

"The guy you're engaged to – whoever he is – he's a lucky, lucky man," Barry chuckled. "Maybe I shouldn't have blown off our 10-year reunion. I bet I would've swept you off your feet. I would've treated you better than I did when we were eighteen."

April softly laughed and rolled her eyes. "You're only saying that because I don't look like a nerd anymore. You're making assumptions based on these past two days."

"Live long and prosper."

"Excuse me?" she asked with a smirk.

"You said that at the end of your valedictorian speech." Barry grinned. "Everyone laughed at you, but I thought it was pretty awesome considering I'm a closet _Star Trek_ fan."

April covered her face with her hand, shaking her head in embarrassment. "That part wasn't supposed to be in my speech. Kimmie wrote that in at the last second and stupid me ended up reading it out loud." She uncovered her face and raised her eyebrow curiously. "You listened to my speech?"

Barry nodded. "The whole thing. I remember you said, 'Respect from your peers can only be achieved if you respect yourself'. I wasn't sure if you were referring to me, but I took that to heart." He quickly shrugged. "I just want to prove to you that the compliments I gave you weren't bullshit."

She slowly nodded, then she cleared her throat. "Thank you. I should really get Dr. Shepherd now." She left in a hurry. There was tension building up in the room and she needed to get out of there. He wasn't Jackson, but he definitely knew how to work his charm on her.

* * *

**Let me know what you think please :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Like always, thanks for the reviews! Not sure what else to say, so enjoy chapter 4!**

* * *

April hoped she and Jackson could talk after she arrived home from her last shift, but he had grown distant, shutting her out whenever she tried to ask him about what was bothering him. It wasn't the first time he built an invisible shield between them. He had done it many times during their Mercy West days. She, Reed and Charles learned to give him space when he didn't want to talk about his problems, but she and Jackson were engaged now, so not talking was frustrating.

He watched her interact with Barry in his room while he pretended to work on charts at the nurses' station. She appeared to be entertaining him based on the laughter coming from the room. Yeah, he really hated that guy.

Meredith Grey arrived beside him to drop off a chart. Her eyes switched back and forth between Jackson and April. The expressions on their faces were complete opposites of each other.

"You really shouldn't be paranoid about them," she advised. "You'll only make things worse for yourself."

"I'm not paranoid."

"Really? So, why have you been watching April like a hawk?"

"I haven't," he said defensively. Jackson scowled as his fiancée talked to Barry with a wide grin on her face. "Did you notice I have big boobs now? I bet you wish I had these boobs in high school."

Meredith laughed at Jackson's poor imitation of April's high-pitched voice. "Oh, stop. You're jealous over nothing, Jackson. She's just being friendly."

"I'm not jealous." The plastics fellow rolled his eyes when she smirked at him. "Okay, maybe a little, but…" He lowered his voice to a whisper. "…she passed up sex to watch him in surgery yesterday. Who does that?"

"Hey, my husband rocked that surgery. I don't blame her," she proudly said.

Jackson noticed April preparing to leave Barry's room. Stephanie Edwards, one of the interns he had worked with and now a first year resident, was passing by and quickly approached her.

"Dr. Edwards," he called out to her. He placed his hand on her shoulder, giving her his best charming smile. "Would you like to scrub in on my nerve graft surgery later? I need steady hands for this delicate surgery and I think you have very, _very_ steady hands."

Stephanie softly laughed and shyly smiled. "S-sure. Thank you, Dr. Avery. You won't regret your decision."

He winked at her. "Believe me, I won't." As his resident walked off he saw April staring at him, arms folded and unamused. "What? You're the only one who can flirt with other people?"

"_That's_ what you think I've been doing?" She shook her head in disgust as she walked away from him. "Grow up, Jackson."

Meredith approached Jackson and slapped the back of his head. "You're ridiculous." She slightly glared at him as he rubbed his head. "Seriously? Do you want me to tell your mother how stupid you're acting right now?"

"Do _not_ get my mother involved," he muttered. "I'll never hear the end of it."

"Then stop being an immature ass and apologize to April later."

Jackson watched Meredith walk away, then he entered Barry's room. He felt they needed to talk face to face while April wasn't anywhere nearby. Standing at the foot of the quarterback's bed, he folded his arms as he sternly looked at him.

"Uhh, hey," Barry greeted him with a puzzled look on his face. "Who are you?"

"I'm Dr. Avery. Jackson Avery, Dr. Kepner's fiancé."

"Oh, so you're the infamous Jackson. April told me about you earlier," he said and held out his hand. "I'm Barry Evans. We went to high school together. Nice to meet you."

Jackson waved off Barry's friendly greeting. "Yeah, whatever." He pointed his finger at him. "I'm going to get right to the point. I know what you did to her in high school and I don't like you. I also don't like seeing you talking to my fiancée either."

Barry laughed. He wasn't intimidated by Jackson's straightforwardness. "Is that what you tell every guy you see her talking to? She never described you as the territorial, possessive type."

"No. I just don't like her talking to _you_. I don't trust you."

"Well, I don't trust you either. Mainly because I just met you and we're clearly never going to be friends," he replied nonchalantly. "Does my presence intimidate you? It sounds like it does, Dr. Avery. You're not used to other guys fawning over April, huh?"

"No, but other guys don't stand a chance. That includes you, Evans." Jackson pointed two fingers at his eyes, then he pointed them towards Barry. "I'll be watching you until you're out of here." He left his room before he could respond. After finally meeting Barry Evans, he came to the conclusion that he really, _really_ hated that guy.

* * *

"What a douche," Lexie said, shaking her head in disgust. She and April were sitting at the bottom of one of the hospital's stairwells as the redhead beside her cried on her lap. "I can't believe he did that in front of you."

"An-and he didn't even feel b-bad about it," April sobbed. She sat up straight, wiping away her tears with the sleeve of her lab coat. "I think he did cheat on me. He cheated on me and he's too much of a coward to admit it. And he thinks I've been flirting with Barry! It's like he doesn't trust me at all. How are we supposed to get married if he can't trust me?"

Lexie gently rubbed April's lower back. "He trusts you. It's the first time he's paranoid about you falling for somebody else."

"But it's not the first time he's been paranoid like this," she noted. "He was paranoid about you and Mark after you threw that softball at Julia. Honestly, I don't blame him. You and Mark have a long history, but Barry and I? There's nothing. He's just the guy who treated me badly in high school. Jackson's my best friend and for the first time, I can't figure out what's wrong with him. Besides the whole jealousy issue with Barry, there's something else he's not telling me. He won't talk to me."

"Maybe if you have sex with him, he'll talk," she joked, trying to lighten the mood. However, April wasn't in the laughing mood. She only glared at her and Lexie grimaced. "Okay, that was supposed to be funny, but you're clearly not feeling that one."

"Enough about me," the trauma surgeon said and nodded her head towards Lexie. "What about you? Tell Mark about the twins yet?"

Lexie slowly shook her head. "Nope."

April sighed. "Lexie, I thought you were going to tell him yesterday. That was the plan."

"I was gonna tell him, I swear!" she exclaimed. "But here's what happened. We had Sofia with us last night and you know she's going through that Terrible Two phase. Mark made a comment about how he was relieved that Sofia was the only child we needed to take care of at the moment because it would be a madhouse if there were more babies around. So, I choked. I couldn't tell him after he said that."

"Well, when are you telling him then? He'll eventually catch on when your morning sickness becomes more unbearable for you. You can't lie to him and say you're bulimic."

"I will tell him soon," Lexie promised. "Soon. When the timing is right. This time I mean it."

* * *

Both Jackson and April's shifts ended around the same time, a little after 10 PM. Normally, they picked up Jordan from daycare together, but their routine had changed that day. Jackson finished changing in the attendings locker room and he noticed April's belongings were already gone from her cubby. They had avoided each other for the rest of the day and she made sure to change out of her scrubs before he arrived.

He rode the elevator down to the fourth floor and walked to the daycare center. Before he went inside, she walked out carrying a sleeping Jordan in her arms. Their baby boy was dressed in his pajamas and asleep against April's shoulder.

Without saying a word to each other, they entered an empty elevator. They stood side by side, avoiding eye contact as they rode the elevator down to the lobby. The walk to their car was also quiet. April sat in the backseat next to Jordan's car seat on the way home and Jackson carried him into their apartment after they arrived. It was the longest they had ever gone without speaking a word to each other.

He carefully placed their son in his crib hoping not to wake him up. She changed into her pajamas before she used the bathroom to brush her teeth. He waited until she was finished for his turn at the sink, then he climbed into bed where she was already lying down. She turned off her lamp and they both lay on their sides with their backs facing each other. Neither of them could fall asleep. They were both wide awake in their dark bedroom.

"You cheated on me. Just admit it," April softly said.

"I didn't cheat on you," Jackson replied irritably.

"And you flirted with a resident to intentionally hurt me. The fact that you can't trust me hurts even more."

"I'm sorry. I do trust you, but I was annoyed with how friendly you were with Barry." Jackson rolled over to look at April. "I don't like it when you visit him. I keep thinking you're having second thoughts about us since you've been spending a lot of your free time with him."

It was April's turn to roll over. "Why would you think that?" She sat up on their bed to turn on the lamp, then she frowned at her fiancé. "You actually thought I'd leave you for him?"

Jackson sighed as he sat up and faced her. "Listen, I've been with a lot of women, but I know you're the one I want to marry and spend the rest of my life with." He gestured his hand towards her. "You haven't been with a lot of men, so it's not like you can compare me to anybody. I don't want to be compared to Barry freakin' Evans."

"I haven't been comparing you to him and I'm not having second thoughts about us." April scooted closer to him, picking up his hands and interlocking their fingers together. "I've just been giving him company because he doesn't have anyone. That doesn't mean my feelings for him from high school are back. In fact, I spent my visits with him today bragging about you and he didn't mind."

"Yeah, I heard," he murmured. "I uhh… visited him too, but not to make nice with him. I let him know how I felt about you visiting him. Umm… I got a little overprotective."

She smirked at him. "You were jealous."

He hated to admit it, but he was jealous. Very, very jealous. "Okay, I was," he mumbled. "Let me just say that Barry is not a bad looking guy and the fact that he wants to bang you because you're hot now doesn't sit well with me."

"He just had back surgery. He's not going to be banging anyone any time soon," April quipped. "And despite the fact that it turns out he _may_ have had secret nerd feelings for me in high school, that was in the past. I've moved on to a better man who, by the way, will lose some precious body parts if he flirts with his residents again."

Jackson sheepishly grinned. "And again, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that," he apologized, placing his hands on her waist. "It'll never happen again. I promise."

He leaned forward to kiss her, but she pressed her finger against his lips. "There's one more thing we need to talk about," she said, gently pushing him away. "Something happened in North Carolina and I'm not sure why you won't tell me, but we're supposed to be honest with each other. Just tell me what it is. Whatever it is, I won't judge you or think differently of you."

She was April Kepner. Of course she wouldn't let anything go until she found closure. And Jackson hated lying to her. He desperately wanted to forget about Harper Jr. except she wouldn't let him until he told her the truth.

"My dad," he softly said, slightly dropping his head. "I saw him. He's alive."

"You saw your dad?" she asked, raising both of her eyebrows. "Umm… what happened?"

"It was bizarre. I was running around Duke's campus with Sloan and he just appeared right in front of me," he explained. "I thought I was imagining it, but he was really there. And he wasn't a drunk. He was sober and living a new life with a new family that he actually cares about."

April frowned. "Oh, gosh. Did you two talk? How bad was it?"

"He wanted to talk, but I couldn't look at him without feeling so much resentment towards him." Jackson answered and shook his head. "We talked a little bit at the hotel bar. He tried to explain himself and then he wanted to know more about my current life. That's when I walked out and I haven't heard from him since."

He turned around, sitting on the edge of their bed with his back facing her. "He was at Duke for his stepson. My replacement was being recruited for basketball and he was there to support him. He never did anything like that for me," he angrily said with tears in his eyes. "That kid probably doesn't even know I exist. My dad's such a bastard."

April could hear him sniffling, but he clearly didn't want to cry in front of her. The first and only time she saw him cry was when they reunited after her memory returned. He never shed a tear at Charles and Reed's funeral. While he was sad about their deaths, he was the type of person who cried behind the scenes when nobody was around .

She wrapped her arms over his shoulders as she leaned forward against his back. He quickly blinked his eyes to try to hide his tears. "Just let it out, Jackson. You don't have to be the tough guy all of the time," she encouraged him, rubbing his chest with her hand.

And on cue, Jackson buried his face into his hands and broke down. She remained quiet to let him unleash the hurt and anger he built up inside of him while she occasionally kissed the back of his neck. He had always been the strong one who comforted April whenever she was upset, but this time it was the other way around.

* * *

Jackson opening up about his father was a turning point because he was able to release his stress the best way he knew how – sex. And he was having _a lot_ of sex with April throughout the week. He wasn't complaining and neither was she. Most of their free time was spent visiting Jordan in daycare or using one of the on-call rooms.

Barry had been discharged from the hospital at the end of the week, so Jackson couldn't be more thrilled when he went back home to Arizona. Even though April continued to visit his hospital room, her fiancé stopped being overprotective and jealous. He was getting laid on a daily basis again, so he had nothing to worry about.

The plastics fellow walked into the attendings lounge with a smug grin on his face. Cristina rolled her eyes as she ate her lunch at the dining table.

"Oh my God, don't tell me you and Kepner were at it _again_," she groaned.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said unconvincingly as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

Cristina pointed at a vase with flowers on the table. "You also don't need to send her flowers, loser. I'm sure all of the sex you've been having is enough for her to know you love her."

"I didn't send those." Jackson picked up the card attached to the vase and opened it. The flowers were from Barry. Inside was a note thanking April for visiting him and he also wrote down his number for her, which made him laugh. "That guy doesn't give up."

"Who?"

"Barry. He gave April his number. What an idiot," he scoffed. "You know what? April doesn't need to know who actually got her these flowers. I can be a flowers type of guy. She won't figure it out."

Cristina watched Jackson throw the card away in a trash can. She shook her head when he replaced it with a post-it note. "You're pathetic, Avery. Now it just looks like you stole that from a patient's room."

"It's the thought that counts, alright?"

April entered the lounge and smiled brightly at Jackson. "Dr. Avery," she casually greeted him.

"Dr. Kepner," he replied, then he picked up the vase. "I bought these for you."

"More like stole them," Cristina muttered.

April missed the cardiothoracic surgeon's comment and gushed at the flowers. "Aww, you didn't have to do that, Jackson." She stood on her tip toes and kissed Jackson's cheek. "You're so sweet."

Jackson pointed at the post-it note. "For some reason, they left out my card. I hope this will do."

The note had a simple "I love you" and Jackson's name written on it, but it was enough for her to squeal with excitement. "I think this is the first time you bought me flowers. Funny, I didn't think you were that type of guy," she implied.

"But you love them, right?"

"Of course I do!" She grinned. "And I love you too."

Jackson set the vase on the table. He slipped his hands into the pockets of April's lab coat, pulling her towards him. "I'm pretty sure I love you more."

She giggled against his lips. "That's not possible."

Cristina pretended to gag as she stood up from her seat. "Oh, go back to the on-call room you just had sex in," she teased and left the couple alone in the lounge. Jackson and April were in their own world and didn't even notice her leave.

They moved over to the couch, making out like teenagers who couldn't keep their hands off of each other. Mark walked into the lounge, quickly approaching the couple with his hands on his hips.

"Hey, I've been looking all over for you," he said, interrupting their makeout session.

"What did I do now?" Jackson asked, annoyed at his mentor.

"No, not you." Mark pointed at April, who was adjusting her hair. "You. I paged you at least five times, Kepner. Don't tell me your horndog fiancé told you to ignore me."

"You paged?" April checked her pager and gasped when she saw the many missed pages from Mark. She quickly stood up, forcing a laugh. "Oh, umm… I see them now. Sorry. Did you need me, Dr. Sloan?"

Mark nodded as he gestured his hand towards the door. "Follow me." He pointed at Jackson. "And don't follow us. This has nothing to do with you, so stay put."

April quickly shrugged at Jackson as she followed Mark out of the lounge. He led her into a supply closet and blocked the door with his body, making her suspicious. "Uhh, Dr. Sloan?"

"Something is wrong with Lexie," he said worriedly. "She's been puking after she eats. First, she claimed food poisoning, but this has been going on for at least three days now. I'm talking to you about this because you two are close friends. You're like Jackson and I, but with vaginas."

"Umm, not really."

"Anyway, I think Lexie's bulimic."

She chuckled. "Why do you think that?"

"It's pretty obvious. She sneaks off to puke in the bathroom a lot," he recalled. "And she never had diarrhea, so it's not food poisoning. You and I need to create an intervention. We'll hold her hostage in one of the elevators because they seem to have magical powers in this hospital. It'll knock some sense into her."

April raised her hands in front of her chest. "Lexie's not bulimic, Mark. No intervention needed."

Mark stared at the redhead confused. "Then what's her deal?"

She personally didn't want to be the one to tell him the truth, but Lexie's inability to tell him herself left her no choice. "Think about it. Is she puking during specific times of the day? Does she get a bit moody?"

He slowly nodded. "Yes to both. She pukes after breakfast. Yesterday, she puked after dinner." Snapping his fingers, he shook his head in disappointment. "I know what it is. It's my cooking. Lexie hates my cooking, but she won't say it to my face! She's been forcing herself to down my crap, then she throws it all up afterwards."

"Umm, no-"

"You and Avery had dinner at our place before. Is my cooking _that_ bad? If you want to blame somebody, blame Robbins. She's the one who taught me certain recipes," he said defensively.

April waved her hand. "Your cooking's fine. It's on par with Jackson's," she insisted. "Seriously think about it, Mark. Finish this sentence – when a woman is puking daily she could be…"

"Bulimic?"

"No! I already told you she's not bulimic!" she exclaimed. "Again, when a woman is puking daily she could be…"

"Sick with the stomach flu?"

April threw her arms up in frustration. "No, Mark! She's pregnant! Lexie is _pregnant_!" she yelled. She bit her lower lip as Mark blankly stared at her. She twiddled her thumbs, waiting for a response from the plastic surgeon. "Do you want me to repeat myself?"

He slowly shook his head. "No. I heard you the first time."

"Are you okay? Maybe you should sit down," she suggested. "Lexie told me you two wanted to wait until she finished her residency, so she's been afraid to tell you. Umm, she's about seven weeks now."

Mark took a deep breath and exhaled. "So it's not my cooking after all. That's awesome."

April rolled her eyes. She wondered how Mark could be so dense sometimes. "Are you not upset about this?"

"Are you kidding me? This is great," he cheerfully said. He caught her off-guard when he suddenly pulled her in for a hug. "I couldn't be happier. Sofia's getting a sibling to play with!"

"Actually, it's _siblings_. Plural," she added. "Lexie's pregnant with twins."

Mark grabbed April's shoulders, pulling her away to look at her. "Seriously?" She quickly nodded, then he hugged her even tighter. "That means she only has to get pregnant one more time. We're aiming for three kids."

"Well, if you're not upset, then congratulations!" she chirped. "Lexie's not as excited as you are, but maybe she'll change her mind after you talk to her."

"I'll talk to her as soon as I see her." Mark grinned at April and winked. "For now, just keep it a secret until Lex and I officially announce it to everyone. Thanks for telling me, Kepner. You know, I totally knew she wasn't bulimic."

"Right," she replied with a smirk.

Mark cautiously opened the door, peeking his head out into the hallway. It was clear, so he walked out of the supply closet and April followed him from behind.

Alex turned the corner to see his two coworkers adjusting their lab coats. They walked down the hallway before they split up going opposite directions. He wasn't sure what he saw, but it was suspicious from his point of view. Mark and April sneaking around? That was juicy gossip.

"Dude…"

* * *

**Jackson's issues with Harper Jr. isn't over. And don't celebrate yet, Barry will be back :p**


	5. Chapter 5

**Happy Grey's Day! Will we get some Japril awkwardness tonight? I hope so! This chapter is a little shorter than usual, but I guess I make up for it in the next one.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Of course Alex was going to confront April about what he saw. When didn't he confront people? And although she hadn't been annoying him as much as she did in the past, he still enjoyed giving her a hard time every once in a while.

He followed her into an elevator. She was on her way down to the pit, while he simply wanted to confront her. They were the only people inside and the silence between them made April feel uncomfortable, especially with the way Alex was staring at her.

"What?" she asked irritably. He snickered and she rolled her eyes. "What is it, Karev?"

"Nothing." Alex slipped his hands into his lab coat pockets as he slyly grinned. "You and Avery have been screwing like rabbits all week. How do you find time to squeeze in a quickie with Sloan?"

"_Excuse_ me?" she sternly said, her mouth dropping wide open. "I am not screwing Mark Sloan."

"Oh, please. I saw you two leaving the supply closet," he retorted. "There are only three things you do in a supply closet: get supplies, cry like a bitch baby or screw. I just never thought you had it in you."

April threw her arms up in frustration. "Mark and I are not having sex! We were just talking!"

Alex smirked at the trauma surgeon. "Ah, so that's how you like it," he quipped.

"Shut up! That's not what I meant," she angrily replied.

"Fine. What were you two talking about?"

"I can't tell you. I promised Mark I wouldn't talk about it with anyone else, not even Jackson."

Alex chuckled. "You two are screwing."

"Mark and I aren't screwing!" she yelled out as the elevator doors opened.

Meredith stood in front of them, raising her eyebrow as she stared at April. "You and _who_ aren't screwing?" she curiously asked. She watched her walk out of the elevator, then she looked at Alex. "Who's she not screwing?"

* * *

And unsurprisingly, rumors of April and Mark having an affair spread like wildfire. Nobody directly approached her about it, but she could tell by the strange looks she was getting from her peers that people were talking. She hadn't seen Lexie all day, but she hoped the "news" didn't reach her. The last thing she wanted to do was betray her best girlfriend.

She was in charge of the ER and ignoring pages from Jackson. She wasn't sure if he was paging her for another round in an on-call room or because Alex's ridiculous rumor reached him too, but she wanted to keep herself distracted. Since there wasn't much activity happening in her territory, she relaxed on an empty hospital bed reading a bridal magazine she stashed at the nurses' station.

"Young lady, what is this I hear about you and Mark Sloan?" Catherine hovered over April. She tilted her glasses as she stared down her future daughter-in-law. "Speak, honey. I don't have time to waste."

April set her magazine on her lap and sighed. "I am not sleeping nor would I ever want to sleep with Mark Sloan," she confidently said. Normally, Catherine's presence intimidated her despite the good relationship they had, but she was too annoyed with Alex to feel threatened.

"Then where is this gossip coming from?"

"Dr. Karev saw me leaving a supply closet with Mark," she answered, rolling her eyes. "We were just talking. While I promised him I wouldn't tell anybody what we talked about, I can assure you that we weren't doing what… _other_ people do in supply closets. Plus, it's disgusting to begin with and-"

Catherine raised her hand. "I believe you, dear. You can stop rambling." She sat beside April, looking down at her bridal magazine. "How much wedding planning have you done?"

"Umm… not as much as I hoped would be done by now," she shamefully replied. "I've been so busy with work and being a mother that I don't have the time to plan our wedding. And Alice is loaded with school work. I just want our wedding to be everything that I dreamed of, but I don't know. All Jackson cares about is where our honeymoon will be. I'm sure he does care about the wedding, but planning one isn't his thing."

"How about we do this? You, your sister and I will find a day to get together and do some serious planning. Your wedding's in five months, sweetie. It may sound like a lot of time, but it's really not. Pick a weekend and it's a date, okay?"

April nodded and smiled. "Yeah, that sounds good. Thank you."

Catherine leaned close to April's ear. "You really should take better care of the marks on your neck, honey," she whispered. "It's so obvious my baby boy's been gnawing on your neck like a bear trying to tear apart its prey."

"O-oh, I…" She covered her neck with her hand and nervously laughed. "Th-thanks for… the warning?"

"Don't you worry. I've got something you can use for those love bites," she offered as she slid off of the hospital bed. "Thank you for clearing things up, April. I was certain Mark Sloan wasn't your type."

April softly groaned as Catherine walked away from her. She gently slapped her forehead with her magazine, cursing at herself in her mind for getting caught with hickeys on her neck again. Maybe others had noticed, but only Catherine Avery told her straightforwardly about them. Nothing could be more embarrassing than having her future mother-in-law openly tell her she needed to work on her appearance after sex with her son.

She was still trying to recover from her second confrontation of the day when Lexie appeared in the ER. The fifth year resident rushed towards her and April could only wait and anticipate what she had to say.

Lexie grabbed April's wrist, pulling her off of the bed. "We need to talk now." She brought her into the closest restroom and locked the door behind her. "Are you sleeping with my husband?"

"No, I'm not." The redhead folded her arms. "It was just a stupid accusation from Alex. I knew I should've texted you ahead of time about this. C'mon, would you take his word over mine?"

"Okay, okay. You're right. Alex is a moron and I should've known better than to listen to him… or Cristina because that's who I heard it from," she replied, letting out a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I almost believed that. Maybe my hormones are beginning to rage and they're making me paranoid about everything. I wanted to talk to Mark first, but he's in surgery, so you were the only person left on my death list."

April softly laughed. "Gee, I'm flattered." She smirked at her. "You _still_ haven't told him, have you?"

Lexie grimaced as she shook her head. "I know, I know. I keep delaying it, but every time I try to tell him I choke… or run off to puke."

"Uhh… he knows, Lex."

"You told him?" she gasped.

"He forced it out of me!" April groaned. "Well, actually his ignorance forced me to tell him. Mark thought you were bulimic. He wanted to set up a freakin' intervention for you in the elevator. He was even worried that you thought his cooking was horrible and that's why you've been puking."

Lexie leaned back against a wall and sighed. "How did he take it?"

"He's quite excited about it – even more excited that you only need to get pregnant one more time to reach your goal of three kids together," she cheerfully said. "He still wants to talk to you about it before the rest of the hospital knows. I promised not to tell anybody until you two are ready to announce the news, which is why Alex assumed Mark and I were screwing in a supply closet."

"God, I'm going to kill Alex for making me worry about nothing." She hugged April and smiled. "Why are you such an awesome friend?"

"I knew I was good for something around here," she quipped. April pulled away from Lexie when she received a page. It was another page from Jackson, who asked her to meet him in an on-call room. "Oh, great. Jackson's been paging me for like an hour now. He's either pissed at me or really, really horny."

Lexie grinned. "He could be pissed at you _because_ he's really horny and you're ignoring him. Anyway, go ahead. I'll call you later after Mark and I finally talk."

April left the restroom and returned to the pit. She found Kevin by the nurses' station and approached him. "Could you cover the ER for a while? I have to go upstairs for a consult."

Kevin smirked at his coworker. "A consult with Sloan?"

"Oh, shut up about that already," she replied, slightly glaring at him. "It's not true, so just drop it. You can handle the ER by yourself. I'll be right back."

April rode the elevator up to the third floor where Jackson was waiting for her. She found the on-call room he was in and walked inside. Her fiancé was sitting up on a bed with his arms folded. "Umm, you paged?"

Jackson patted the spot next to him. "About seven times now."

"I'm sorry. I was busy in the ER," she explained as she slowly approached him. She sat beside him and she gasped when he unexpectedly pinned her down onto her back with a mischievous grin on his face. "Jackson, what are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" Jackson leaned forward and kissed her lips. "I'm not busy. You're not busy-"

"Fourth time today? I'm not sure I can," she cut him off and giggled. "Besides, I thought you wanted me to come meet you because of the silly rumor flying around about Mark and I."

"I don't care about that."

She gently pushed him up by his chest before he could kiss her again. "Really? Because everyone seems to believe it's true. Even Lexie thought it might be until I convinced her otherwise. Your _mother_ just confronted me about it too. Oh, by the way, stop leaving so many hickeys on my neck. She keeps pointing them out to me. It's embarrassing."

He smirked at her. "But she hasn't seen the ones on your inner thighs, right?"

"Jackson! I'm serious. Leave my neck alone!" she scolded him, while he laughed at her. "Okay, really. You were never bothered by the possibility that I'm screwing your boss?"

"No, because I know you better than anybody in this hospital. I know you wouldn't screw Mark behind my back." Jackson smiled. "And anyway, when crap like that comes out of Karev's mouth it might as well be coming out of his ass. I never felt threatened by what he apparently saw."

April let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness." She paused for a moment. "Lexie's pregnant with twins."

"Oh, yeah?" he delightfully said. He knew what that meant: automatic godfather status for him. "Way to go, Sloan."

"But keep it a secret until they formally announce it." Her eyes wandered away from him. "What if I _was _having an affair with Mark? How would you feel?"

Jackson started laughing. She could try her best to convince him she was having an affair with Mark and he wouldn't believe a word of it. "Honestly, I would probably hope for a threesome."

April rolled her eyes as she sat up on the bed. "Of course you would."

"What's the problem? You're not slutty, April, so I know you having an affair with Mark or anybody for that matter would never happen." He raised his eyebrow at her. "Are you trying to say you want to be a slut and sleep around with other guys?"

"No! I mean, you might think you know everything about me, but what if you don't? Like, what's my favorite color?"

"Uhh… blue?" He watched her shake her head. "Red? Pink?"

"Purple! My favorite color's purple!"

"Really? Then, why was your room mostly pink?" Jackson sighed when she frowned at him. "That's just one very little detail. That doesn't mean I don't know almost everything about you. Why are you freaking out?"

"We're getting married in five months and we barely have anything planned for our wedding. Plus, people think I'm whoring around with Mark, so I have a reason to be freaking out," she worriedly said. "I feel like freaking out about anything right now is appropriate."

Jackson wrapped his arm around April's shoulder, pulling her close to him. He did feel guilty about not involving himself more with the wedding plans, despite promising to help her with making decisions. "Maybe we should hire a wedding planner."

April shook her head. "Why pay a wedding planner when we have your mom for free? She offered to set a weekend aside for me, so we can do the planning together. You don't need to be there, though. I won't force you to if you don't want to be involved."

"I do want to be involved. I just don't know what I'm supposed to do," he admitted. "I always thought wedding planning was more about the woman getting what she wants. I'll be happy with whatever you want to do."

"I know, but I don't want you to go along with something because you think it'll make me happy even though you're not fond of the idea. I want us to be on the same page, always."

* * *

April had hoped to be available to take Jordan out for trick-or-treating on Halloween, but instead she was stuck at the hospital and in charge of the ER for the night. There was a flu bug flying around the hospital. Owen caught it, forcing him to stay at home. Kevin hadn't been feeling great either, so she sent him home early. As much as she didn't want to be covering the pit, it was her turf and she didn't entirely trust any of the residents to keep it from becoming a disaster zone.

She was able to convince Alex to work in the ER with her. He did owe her for spreading that rumor about her and Mark, so it was the least he could do. She was thankful to have company with her, even if he was an ass to her occasionally. It was Halloween, a time when people do crazy things or were crazy in general. A tough guy to watch her back was necessary.

She met up with Jackson in the main lobby to see their son in his costume. He was dressed as a tiger, which was a present from Miranda Bailey last year.

"Oh, look at you! You're the cutest tiger ever," she gushed. "You're going to get so much candy you're not even allowed to eat."

Lexie stood nearby, pointing at herself. "Which is why I'm tagging along to take half of it. Got twins to spoil," she proudly said. She was carrying Zola, who was dressed up as Cinderella, in her arms. "And since Mer and Derek have to work I'm taking Zola out for them."

"I'm so jealous of you. I really hate Banks right now for catching the flu," April complained. "Take a million pictures of the kids for me, please."

Jackson nodded. "I'll make sure to take a picture for every house we visit," he sarcastically said. "Are you sure you don't want me picking you up later?"

"Yes. Karev offered to drive me home, so I have a ride."

Callie and Arizona arrived at the lobby with Sofia, who was wearing a ladybug costume. The orthopedic surgeon was going out with Jackson and Lexie, while Arizona was staying behind for another few hours.

"Oh my gosh, Sofia looks so adorable!" April squealed in excitement. Now she was even more jealous that she had to work in the ER that night. "There is just way too much cuteness right now. And I really mean it now when I said to take a lot of pictures."

"Yeah, we should get going," Jackson suggested, then he gave her a quick kiss. "I'll call you when we're home."

April waved at Jordan as Jackson walked away. She grinned when her baby boy opened and closed his hand to wave back at her. "Have fun, you guys!" she called out to the trio as they left the hospital.

Arizona smirked at April. "You know, you could've left Alex alone in the ER tonight, so you can go with Jackson."

"I could've done that, but what if you need him in Peds for an emergency? Then the ER would be left in the hands of residents I don't know all that well." She quickly shrugged. "What can I say? I love being in control."

"Well, when your job includes bossing Karev around then I wholeheartedly agree."

* * *

The ER hadn't been as busy as she expected. Nothing major, just teenagers doing stupid things to impress their girlfriends on Halloween night. A college couple suffered a mishap in the bedroom in a rather unconventional way, which Alex couldn't stop laughing about. April occasionally received text messages from Jackson with photos of Jordan in his costume.

It was quiet in the ER, which didn't always mean great news. Sometimes it meant a major trauma would arrive at any minute because trauma surgeons were never allowed to relax, at least April believed so. She walked over to Alex, who was sitting up on an empty hospital bed while he played a game on his cell phone.

"We have about a half an hour until our shift ends. Nothing's going on. Maybe we could leave early or you can go back up to Peds if you want," she suggested.

"Nah, I'm enjoying this peace and quiet right now," he said, staring at his cell phone. He looked up for a brief moment to see a man standing by the entrance of the pit. "Dude's looking for you. Go."

April turned around to look at the man. He had his hands stuffed in his black jacket pockets and he was scanning the area in a suspicious matter. His appearance seemed relatively harmless. Caucasian, short brown hair, dressed as if he just got off of work in downtown. But something about him seemed off. She couldn't pinpoint what it was that made her uncomfortable, though.

"Uhh… he seems creepy." For somebody who worked in one of the more morbid specialties, she was trained to expect the unexpected. She hated showing her vulnerable side. But dagnabbit. She was a woman who still had some insecurities, especially around creepy men. "You check him out."

"You've treated creeps before," Alex scoffed. "And you're in charge, so he's yours."

"Fine," she groaned. Slowly approaching the man, she put on her friendliest smile. He simply stared at her with a blank expression on her face. "Umm, sir? I'm Dr. Kepner. Can I help you with something?"

The man nodded. "I'm bleeding."

April eyed his clothes, but she couldn't find a spot of blood on him. "Umm, where are you bleeding?"

He pulled out his right hand and based on her yelp, she definitely wasn't expecting to see blood dripping out of the open wound where his middle finger should be. It appeared to have been ripped off.

"Oh- oh, geez," she stammered. "H-how did this happen?"

"Got into an argument with the wife after I got home from work. Bitch bit my finger off," he bitterly said. He leaned forward, lowering his voice to a whisper. "They're all after me."

April raised her eyebrow curiously. "Who's after you?"

"Everyone," he hissed.

"Okay…" She turned her head to look back at Alex, who was focused on his video game. She desperately wanted to catch his attention because the man standing in front of her was clearly not mentally stable. "C-could you wait here for a minute?"

"Why? Are you one of them too?" he asked defensively.

"One of them? What are you talking about, sir?" April pointed at herself. "I'm a doctor. I can help you."

The man shook his head. "I don't trust you." He pulled out a knife from his left pocket. It had dry blood on it, which made April even more uncomfortable. "One scream and I will slit your throat like I did to my wife."

April cleared her throat. She hoped someone would see what was happening, but the nurses at the nurses' station were occupied, Alex was invested on beating his high score on _Temple Run_ and she couldn't see where her residents were slacking off from her view. The security guard outside had his back facing them. Just as she suspected, quiet ER meant bad news was coming and it was here.

She wasn't sure what to do. Screaming would draw attention, but also a possibly fatal stab wound. Could they just stand still and wait for someone to notice? She had experienced unstable patients in the past, but not one like the man in front of her. The look in his eyes felt morbid, like he was ready to jab his knife into her throat.

One of the nurses spotted the small puddle of blood forming on the floor, immediately growing concerned. "Umm, sir? Is everything alright?"

The voice of the nurse caused the man to snap and he quickly grabbed April, wrapping his arm around her and holding the knife close to her neck. His reaction caught the attention of everybody, including Alex, who jumped up from the hospital bed. Now all April could think about was the fact she was about to die without getting the chance to see Jackson and Jordan one last time.

"Dude, what is your problem?" Alex sternly asked as he slowly approached the man and April. "Freakin' chill out, alright?"

"Don't come any closer or I'll kill her," he threatened him.

By then the security guard was inside, aiming his gun at the man. His attention was towards him, which allowed Alex to sneak up on him from behind. Using his wrestling skills and quick thinking, he pounced on the man. April was able to remove herself from his grip. She fell to the floor as the two men were engaged in their own wrestling match.

"Shoot him!" she yelled at the security guard. "He's insane!"

"I can't get a good enough shot of him. They're moving too much," he replied, still aiming his gun at the quarrel.

There was a grunt from both men and they toppled over onto the floor. April was positive one of them was stabbed, but who the unlucky person was, she didn't know. If it was Alex, she couldn't care less if the armed man tried to attack her again. She needed to help her friend. She had heard of adrenaline rushes causing people to have super strength for a brief moment. Perhaps she could go psycho bitch on him if he touched her again.

She rushed towards them, looking at her frightened residents. "I need some help here!"

* * *

**Who was stabbed? Find out on Monday :p**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for the reviews everybody! And to answer somebody's question, I'm not Shonda :p This one has fluffy moments, but some more drama will be coming up soon.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

As soon as Jackson got off of the phone with his mother, he headed straight for the hospital. He was almost finished taking Jordan around the neighborhood of Meredith's frat house when Catherine called him from Seattle Grace Mercy West. At first, he contemplated ignoring her. He assumed she was calling to nag him about making sure her grandbaby wasn't out too long, so he wouldn't catch a cold. He was glad he answered because it turned out to be pretty damn important.

Callie volunteered to watch Jordan, while Jackson drove back to the hospital to check on April. From what his mother told him over the phone, she was shaken up by the incident in the ER. He heard about the crazy man pulling a knife on his fiancée and threatening to kill her. That made his blood boil. He wanted to kill that man himself.

He arrived at the attendings lounge where Catherine was comforting April at the dining table. She appeared disturbed, having barely drank the cup of coffee sitting in front of her. A little teary-eyed. She was still dressed in her blood stained scrubs. He softly cleared his throat to catch their attention as he approached them.

"Oh, I'm glad you're here, baby," Catherine said as she stood up. She walked towards him and gave him a hug. "Don't rush her. She's still shaken up."

Jackson sat beside April, while his mother left them alone. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against his chest. First Gary Clark, then the car accident and now a mentally unstable man with a knife. She definitely was a death dodging soldier.

"He stabbed Alex," she murmured against his chest.

"Yeah, my mom told me," he whispered, gently rubbing her back. "How's he doing?"

"I don't know. He's still in surgery as far as I know. Yang told me the knife narrowly missed his abdominal aorta, about half an inch away. Had it been a direct hit, he could've died instantly. It perforated his colon, though." She frowned. "He saved my life."

And he was very thankful for that. Alex played a crucial role in his and April's lives for the past year. He took care of Jordan in the NICU, sometimes working overtime just to hang out with his godson. Now he risked his own life to protect hers. Dude really was more selfless than many people would think. The three of them were kind of like the 3 Musketeers when they were roommates and the bond they formed became fairly solid.

"Do you… want to stay here until we know how Alex is… or go home?"

"I want to stay," she softly said. "Where's Jordan?"

"He's with Callie, but I can call Alice and have her pick him up at her apartment," he offered. "I'll stay with you, okay?"

Of course he would stay. The love of his life almost died at the hands of a mad man. He wasn't going to let her out of his sight. He placed a kiss on her forehead, hugging her tightly. She clutched his jacket while she rested her head against his shoulder. Some PTSD was expected. She was certain they would force her to partake in weekly meetings with Dr. Wyatt until she could move past the incident.

After Owen was informed of what happened to his surgeons, he gave April the rest of the week and weekend off from work. Alex would be out for at least a month… if he survived.

They just sat there in silence, holding each other for about another half an hour, then Cristina arrived to deliver an update on their colleague. April was fully attentive as she stood up from her seat.

"He'll be okay," Cristina assured them, letting the couple breathe sighs of relief. "Bailey and Mer just finished and they're taking Alex to his recovery room."

"And that guy?" April asked curiously. The security guard shot him in the chest when he tried to attack April again. "What happened to him?"

"Uhh, the bastard's gonna live," she bitterly replied. "Teddy was able to repair the damaged valve. They're going to take him up to Psych and evaluate him when he's conscious, but don't be surprised if they talk to you about his behavior."

April approached Cristina and hugged her. Normally, the cardiothoracic surgeon would cringe and push her away, but in this case, she surprisingly returned the hug. Though her facial expression looked uncomfortable at first, she offered a light pat on the back. She wasn't afraid to admit that she was glad April was unharmed.

"I'm glad neither of you died," she bluntly said, pulling away from her. "It wouldn't be the same without you and Evil Spawn. Let me find out when you can see Alex. I'll send you a page."

"Thank you."

Jackson sat down on the couch, patting the spot next to him. "Do you want to sleep a bit until then?"

April clearly looked exhausted. She nodded as she walked towards him. He placed a pillow on his lap and let her rest her head against it. She positioned herself onto her side and closed her eyes. He rubbed his hand up and down her arm as she tried to sleep beside him. He was tired too, but he chose to stay up and watch her sleep. Since he suffered from nightmares after the shooting, he wanted to be ready to comfort her if she experienced the same thing.

* * *

It took three hours for Alex to wake up. He was drugged up pretty good, according to Miranda. But April was in his room with Jackson by the time his eyes slowly opened. To everyone's relief, he was going to make a full recovery.

"Huhman… wha-th-fuhh…" were the first words out of the pediatric surgeon's mouth. Not surprising in the least. He was Alex Karev after all. His profaned mumbles made April and Jackson smile.

"Alex? It's Jackson and April," she whispered.

He blinked his eyes a few times until his vision was clearer. "Dude, did I win?" he groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Did I kick that guy's ass?"

She slowly nodded and softly laughed. "I'm pretty sure you won." She picked up his hand, happy tears forming in her eyes. "Thank you for saving me, Alex."

"I like your boobs," he murmured, flashing a half-smile at her. He was still feeling the effects of the drugs.

Jackson chuckled, but quickly stopped when April glared at him. "I'll go find Bailey," she said before she left the room.

Alex started laughing, though he cringed when he laughed too hard. He wasn't entirely pain-free anymore. "Seriously, I'm not that freakin' drugged up. I'm just not into the whole Hallmark moment crap," he admitted. "Is she uhh, doing alright?"

"I think so. Hunt gave her the rest of the week off to recover emotionally," he answered, then he slightly smiled at Alex. "But seriously, thanks for saving her. You may not think it's a big deal, but it is to me. I can't exactly marry somebody six feet under."

"Does this mean I get to be your best man or whatever?" he asked, slyly grinning. "You never made anything official, Avery. You just picked your groomsmen and you weren't even Sloan's best man."

Jackson smirked at him. "I didn't think you cared that much about being in my wedding to begin with."

"Dude, we were roommates. You two let me live with you for a while." He pointed at himself. "I know you and Sloan got a boyfriend bond goin' on, but c'mon. I've done a lot for you and April in the past year whether I wanted to or not. That makes me worthy."

While he did have a closer bond with Mark, Jackson sometimes saw Alex as the obnoxious best friend who drove him nuts, yet found a way to redeem himself. He was an ass, but an ass with good intentions. When he first met Alex he never once thought they could become friends, let alone civil coworkers. He figured Mark wouldn't be butt hurt about being passed up, though he expected he wouldn't be working on the best cases for a week or two.

Jackson smiled and held out his closed fist. "Don't let me down."

"Sweet," Alex replied, bumping his fist with Jackson's. "Suck it, Sloan."

* * *

The following morning, Jackson returned to work while April stayed home with Jordan. Spending quality time with her son was the breath of fresh air she needed after _another_ near death experience at the hospital. No matter how awful she felt, her baby boy's bright smile always made her happy.

"Peek-a-boo!" she chirped as she popped up from behind the couch. Jordan stood on the cushion, gripping the back of the couch with his tiny hands. He seemed startled at first, but he eventually burst into laughter.

April ducked behind the couch again. She looked up to see Jordan trying to search for her, then she popped up once more. "Peek-a-boo!" The laugh coming from the tiny human's mouth made her grin widely. She could listen to his giggles all day. "Mama's funny, huh?"

She decided she was going to refer to herself as Mama over Mommy hoping he would finally call her that. She wouldn't be bothered if Dada came out before Mama, but hearing her name first would give her all the reason to gloat to Jackson.

So far, he had clearly said five words or semi-words: cap – which may or may not really be crap – baba, hi, no and Bin, which they figured out was the closest he could pronounce Benny when he pointed at his stuffed tiger friend. For Jackson and April, it felt like they had repeated Dada and Mama to him a million times and all he would do was giggle at them.

Alice was convinced Jordan was playing games with his parents. He was kind of a goofball at his age. He had the same mischievous smirk on his face like Jackson. Catherine pointed it out to April when they were having lunch together with Jordan tagging along. His "up to no good" face as Mama Avery called it.

_"Raising a boy into a gentleman isn't easy," Catherine advised. "Jackson was a handful, so be patient with Jordan."_

April walked around the couch and sat beside Jordan, who immediately crawled onto her lap. She sat him up on her thighs and gently grabbed his hands. "Okay, baby. Say Ma-ma." She sighed when he grinned at her. "I know you can say it, Jordan. One of these days you'll stop teasing us and you'll say it."

He replied by burying his face against her shoulder, then he sat up again and giggled. It was adorable when he acted bashful towards her, but she really wished she knew what he was trying to tell her. She loved her little goofball, though.

"I have an idea. Do you want to go see Dada at work?" she cheerfully asked. He grinned, which was a good enough answer for her. She didn't want to stay at the apartment all day anyway. "Okay, let's go change and we'll go visit him and your Uncle Alex."

* * *

Alex struggled to change the channel on his TV with his remote control. Maybe it was a dead battery or the signal between the TV and the remote control was weak, but he didn't want to be forced to watch _The Young and the Restless_ in his room. "C'mon, you bastard!" he yelled as he angrily smacked the remote control against the bed. "Piece of crap."

April stopped at the doorway, carrying Jordan in one arm and using her other arm to knock. "Mind if we visit?"

"Nope. I'm bored as hell. You can come in," he said, then he smiled at Jordan. "What's up, Air Jordan? High five?"

Alex held out his open hand and April leaned forward, so her son could reach for it. His small hand lightly touched the pediatric surgeon's palm making him smile. "Thanks, dude."

April sat on the chair beside Alex's bed and placed Jordan on her lap. "How are the painkillers working for you?"

"Not doing much. Whatever, I can suck it up. Did you hear about the guy who attacked you? Turned out he was freakin' schizophrenic," he replied nonchalantly. He already knew a lot about the condition since it ran in his family. "Undiagnosed, apparently. If I had been paying attention before he attacked you, I probably would've figured it out. You know, before all the shi- stuff went down."

She softly chuckled at his quick save from cursing in front of Jordan. He was getting better at that. "Schizophrenic, huh?" she sighed. Having paid a lot of attention in Psychology class in college, she felt like an idiot for not picking up on the signs sooner. "I feel awful, Alex. Maybe if I knew it was that, you wouldn't be in here right now."

He dismissively waved his hand. "Nah, don't feel bad. It could've happened to anybody," he insisted. "Wrong place, wrong time. Whatever. Nothing new at Seattle Grace Mercy Death."

"I can't thank you enough for risking your life for me. I mean, it's _me. _I thought it'd be your ultimate fantasy to see me get viciously murdered by a crazy man," she quipped.

Alex smirked at her. "I already told you before that I don't freaking hate you. You did my laundry, cleaned up after me, cooked awesome food… I only couldn't stand you when you were Chief Resident," he admitted. "Besides, no need to keep thanking me. Jackson appointed me as his best man, so everyone wins."

"Really?" she asked, clearly surprised. Not a bad choice since they _were_ roommates. "Well, congratulations. Don't hit on Alice – or any of my sisters for that matter – at the rehearsals."

"Alice is single now?" He laughed when she scowled at him. "Okay, whatever. I'll behave."

April smiled down at Jordan. "Word of advice, don't listen to anything your Uncle Alex tells you because it's either not true or very bad words of wisdom."

Jordan pointed at Alex. "Alx," he managed to blurt out.

April gasped, while Alex applauded and grinned. "You can almost clearly say Alex's name, but you refuse to say Mama or Dada?" she whined, then she looked at her coworker. "Are you teaching him words behind my back?"

"I swear, I haven't been teaching him anything," he said defensively. "He just knows I'm awesome."

"He's toying with me," she groaned. "I think he says Mama and Dada all the time whenever Jackson and I aren't around, but when we are he just laughs at us when we try to get him to say either one."

"He'll say it soon. He's a baby, so have some freakin' patience."

"Okay, but can you stop saying the word freakin' around him? He might pick that up too," she playfully scolded him.

"You say it too."

"Not as much as you do."

And somehow, the lovely visit from April turned into back and forth bantering between the two. It was how they got along, despite how quirky it was. She spent another 15 minutes with him before she decided to search for Jackson. She knew his schedule beforehand. A nasal reconstruction was his only surgery of the day.

"April, honey. What are you doing here?" Catherine spotted April staring at the OR board. "Looking for Jackson? I thought Dr. Hunt told you to stay away from the hospital until Monday to clear your head."

"I know, but I didn't want to keep Jordan in our apartment all day," she guiltily replied. "And I doubt Jackson would be unhappy to see us here."

"Well, since you're here let me hold my grandbaby." Catherine gestured her arms towards her, then April handed Jordan over to her. She kissed his chubby cheeks. "Hey, baby. You must be happy that you get to spend all day with your Mama. I bet you miss her a lot when she's working."

April smiled. "I… I was wondering if we could do some wedding planning this weekend. I mean, if you're not busy with surgeries…" She sighed. "I think it would help take my mind off of what happened last night."

"Of course we can, dear," she agreed. "How about tomorrow afternoon at Richard's house? I have a surgery scheduled in the morning, but I can clear my schedule for the rest of the day. The perks of being in charge of my department. Is two o'clock good for you?"

"Two o'clock is perfect. I'll call Alice later and let her know. Thank you."

Jackson found his mother and his fiancée conversing in the hallway. He was slightly surprised to see April at the hospital, but it was a pleasant surprise. He slowly snuck up behind her, wrapping his arm over her shoulder. Her reaction, though, wasn't what he expected. She had instant flashbacks of the schizophrenic man grabbing her in a similar way, causing her to scream and startling the people around her.

"Whoa, whoa! April, it's just me," he apologetically said. He turned her around and frowned. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Don't do that, Jackson!" she scolded him. Her facial expression showed she was clearly not amused. "I thought you were that guy trying to attack me again."

He felt horrible for scaring her. She was almost hyperventilating by then. "I said I'm sorry," he softly said, pulling her in for a hug. He kissed the top of her head as she covered her face with her hands. "You're okay. Let's go for a walk outside."

Catherine nodded. "That's a good idea, baby. I can watch Jordan for you two."

Jackson led April into the closest elevator. They went downstairs to the ground floor and walked out of the hospital hand in hand. "I'm so embarrassed right now," she muttered. "People probably think I need to spend a week in the psych ward."

He shook his head. "No, they don't. It was my fault. Hey, at least you didn't have a yo-yo in your hand to hit me again," he joked, trying to cheer her up. Fortunately, a small smile formed from her lips. "I don't want to make you feel bad, but Hunt asked you to stay away for a reason."

"I know, but I wanted to check on Alex and Jordan wanted to see you," she answered. "He said Alex's name earlier. It's not fair."

"He did?" Jackson let go of April's hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I don't think we need to start worrying. Jordan will say Mama or Dada soon. I'm positive the latter will come first."

April smirked at him as she reached up and interlocked their fingers together. "I don't think so."

"What makes you so confident Mama will be first?"

"Gentlemen think about their mamas first, duh." She stuck her tongue out at him. "In conclusion, Jordan will be saying Mama before he says Dada. It's that simple."

"I guess we can agree to disagree once in a while." He kissed her temple and smiled. "What do you think about Karev being my best man?"

April giggled. "I'm kind of surprised, actually. He told me earlier. You don't think Sloan will be upset?"

"He shouldn't be," Jackson said, shaking his head. "I think he'll understand why I chose Alex over him."

* * *

"Avery!" Mark stormed into the cafeteria after he spotted Jackson having lunch with April and Jordan. He hovered over his student with his hands on his hips and a mean scowl on his face. "You picked Karev over me for best man?"

Jackson rolled his eyes and sighed. "Listen-"

"You picked _Karev_ over me?" Mark angrily pointed at himself. "Plastics Posse, Avery! Karev… he's part of the Pediatrics Patrol or whatever they call themselves."

"I'm pretty sure they just call themselves Pediatrics," the plastics fellow replied with a smirk.

Mark dismissively waved his hand. "Yeah, whatever. I already declared you the godfather of my twins and you choose Karev over me? Does our relationship mean nothing to you?"

Jackson scanned the area and noticed various doctors, nurses and guests staring at them curiously. Mark had been raising his voice, so he was certain everyone else thought they were having a secret love affair. "I hope you realize how incredibly awkward this is right now."

"I don't care. I want an explanation this instant or else you won't be stepping a foot into an OR until after your honeymoon."

"If it weren't for Alex, I wouldn't have a bride to marry," he casually answered. "And I wasn't even your best man at your wedding, so it's not like I'm required to return the gesture."

"Oh, and this means you and Lexie can walk down the aisle together," April added.

Mark quietly thought to himself, then he grinned at Jackson. "You see, Avery? This is why marrying the woman beside you is a blessing. She makes sense when you don't." He ignored his eye roll and winked at April. "Thanks, Kepner."

April softly laughed. "No problem, Mark."

Jordan pointed at Mark. "Mawk!" he chirped.

"Are you serious?" April gasped. "First, he says Alex's name and now, he calls out Mark's name. What about Mama and Dada, Jordan? This is bull-"

"April," Jackson interrupted her. He nodded his head towards their son, who was looking up and staring at her. "He's listening, sweetheart."

April looked down at Jordan and sheepishly grinned. "Aww, you said your Uncle Mark's name!" She kissed his forehead. "Good job, baby."

"You got a genius for a kid. It's obvious he can pick things up easily," Mark suggested.

"Oh, yeah? Then why won't he say Mama or Dada yet?" she whined.

"Easy. He loves messing with you just like we all do," he quipped. Mark gently rubbed the top of Jordan's head and chuckled. "Don't stress out about it, April. I bet he'll say it when he desperately needs you."

* * *

April had been looking forward to wedding planning with Catherine and Alice. When the two Kepner sisters arrived at Richard's house she definitely wasn't expecting the living room to be filled with flower samples, invitation samples, veil samples and decoration samples. She suspected Mama Avery had been hiding them for months until they were ready to get together for serious wedding planning. It was a tad bit overwhelming. The plus side of it all, though, was that they were finally able to get most, if not all of it, done.

They decided the bride's bouquet would consist of white lilies. Alice chose yellow daffodils for the bridesmaids, which eventually helped her narrow down the color choices for their dresses. April was fine with the decision as long as her maid of honor didn't choose a bright and shiny yellow color. The last thing she wanted was her bridesmaids looking like the urine samples she took from her patients at the hospital. A light yellow and ivory theme was the verdict.

"Try this one, honey," Catherine said as she held up a tiara with a long veil attached to it. Before April could respond, she removed the other veil on her head and placed it on top of her head. "Oh, you look like a pretty princess."

Alice sat on the couch, smirking at her older sister and trying her damnedest not to laugh at how embarrassed April appeared to be. "Yeah, Apes. You do look like a pretty princess," she teased.

April managed to shoot a glare at Alice when Catherine wasn't looking. The tiara on her head was too flashy for her taste. "Umm… it's beautiful and all, but it's not my type," she admitted. "I uhh… want a veil that doesn't take over my face. Something shorter and simple."

"That's no problem, baby. I have samples of that too," Catherine assured her.

"Where did you get all of these anyway?" she asked curiously.

"I have my connections," she simply said. Holding up a smaller veil connected to a decorated hair comb, she removed the tiara from April's head. "Now this one would go in the back if you choose to have your hair up for the wedding. At least you have a ponytail right now. Maybe it'll stay."

Catherine adjusted the veil in April's hair, not realizing she was yanking on her hair a little too hard. She grabbed her shoulders, turning her around for Alice to see. "What do you think? Stunning?"

For someone who had been sarcastic throughout their wedding planning session, Alice was genuinely impressed with the veil April had on. "I love it," she answered, smiling and giving Catherine a thumbs up. "I think that's the one."

"Really?" April asked, unconvinced. "You're not just saying that because you're bored, right?"

"No, I'm serious. You should consider wearing that veil for the wedding."

"It _is_ a lovely veil, sweetie," Catherine agreed. "And when we go to the bridal store for your gown we can bring this along, so we can see how it looks with the dresses you try on."

April smiled, feeling satisfied with the progress they were making. She had no idea what Jackson meant when he said Catherine would drive her crazy. She was a huge help. Perhaps wedding planning wouldn't be as stressful for her anymore.

* * *

With April out of the apartment, Jackson and Jordan were having their father-son bonding time. They were both seated on the couch, Jackson clad only in his boxers and Jordan wearing nothing but his rubber ducky diaper. Harvard and Yale football played on the TV as they relaxed side by side.

Jackson reached for his Gatorade bottle, then he looked at his son, who held his bottle of apple juice in his hands. "You see, dude. This is what being lazy is like. Just sitting back, soaking in the football game in front of us. I miss days like these," he said, tapping his bottle with Jordan's. "Cheers."

He drank his Gatorade and watched Jordan follow suit and drink from his bottle. "Let me teach you how to be macho." Setting their bottles aside, he picked up his son from the couch and had him stand on top of the coffee table. He flexed his biceps. "Like this, Jordan. Grrrrrr."

"Guuuh!" Jordan imitated Jackson's cheesy growl. He giggled and started bouncing up and down. "Guhh! Guuuuh!"

April entered the apartment and immediately raised her eyebrow at the sight of Jackson and Jordan growling at each other in the living room. She stared at them amused, folding her arms as she approached them with a grin on her face. "What are you two doing?"

Her fiancé panicked, picking up Jordan from the coffee table. "Done with the wedding planning already?" he sheepishly asked, forcing himself to grin. "We were doing… manly things. You know, father-son bonding."

"I can see that." She tossed her purse onto the couch before she gave her two favorite boys quick kisses. "We didn't take as long as I expected. Almost everything is picked out except for the dresses and tuxedos."

"Oh, cool. My mother didn't drive you nuts?"

"No, she was the complete opposite," she replied while she sat down on the couch. "With my mom in Ohio, yours is a savior. She has great taste in wedding ideas. I knew you were worrying about nothing."

Jackson smiled. "Jordan said Dada."

April shook her head, returning the smile. "No, he didn't."

"You weren't here, so how could you know?"

"I just know." She smirked at him. "I'm good like that."

He groaned and rolled his eyes. "Fine, you caught me. I was hoping you'd believe me since you're kind of gullible."

"Oh, yeah? Tell me something you lied about and I fell for it."

_The flowers I gave you were from Barry freakin' Evans,_ he thought to himself. Yeah right he was going to confess about that. "Uhh... well, there was that time when I… umm…" _You're an idiot, Avery._

April chuckled at Jackson's failed attempt to lie to her. She loved how he had trouble lying to her about anything now. "Mmhmm…"

"You're not very fun right now," he teased and took a seat beside her. "Okay, seriously. The wedding planning went well? My mother didn't make you try any goofy things on?"

"There were a few things, but I politely rejected them. We've got the flowers picked, the color theme, my veil. Alice is taking care of the invitations as we speak," she explained. "We're still weighing our options for the reception venue and the outfits will be decided on soon. Now, I know you want to be around for cake testing, so we haven't done that yet."

Jackson kissed April's cheek and happily grinned. "Thank you for letting me in on the exciting parts of wedding planning." He bounced Jordan on his lap. "I think this little guy wants in on the cake testing too."

"Maybe," she smirked at her baby boy. "Gotta say Mama first."

Jordan once again giggled at his parents. Jackson sighed and smiled. "Doesn't take bribes either. Tough kid."

* * *

The sounds of Jordan crying from the nursery woke April up from her sleep. With the baby monitor sitting on the bedside table closest to her, it wasn't difficult for his shrieks to interrupt her sleep in the middle of the night. She sat up in her bed and rubbed her eyes. Jackson was softly snoring, unaffected by their son's cries. She slowly climbed out of bed, stopping midway when she heard a long-awaited word.

"Ma-ma…"

She was able to make out the word through his cries, which made her smile as she left the bedroom. April turned on the light in the nursery where Jordan was standing up in his crib and gripping the railing. His cheeks had trails of wet tears, but he seemed to calm down after she appeared.

"What's wrong, baby?" she asked, picking him up from the crib. His diaper wasn't the problem and his temperature was fine. "Aww, did you have a bad dream?"

April brought Jordan to the changing station to give him a new diaper. By then, he had stopped crying and was giddy to see her. "Don't worry. Bad dreams happen to everyone."

"Ma-ma. Ma-ma. Ma-ma," he repeated over and over again, much to her delight.

"Huh, your Uncle Mark was right. Can you say Dada now?" she asked, smiling at her son. Jordan kicked his legs and giggled at her. She laughed at his shyness. "I guess that's his problem now, not mine."

And she was looking forward to gloating to Jackson about their son's latest milestone. A lot.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed the fluff. More drama on the way! :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for the reviews! Some of you offered suggestions and I will keep them in mind for future chapters, so thanks again for your feedback ;) Okay, so this chapter leads up to the drama I've been hinting at. I'll warn you now that this one ends in a cliffhanger.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

April thought three days off from work would be enough time to recover from the attack in the ER. She hadn't experienced any nightmares in her sleep. Everything felt okay to her. She was confident about returning to work in the pit.

But it turned out she may not have been as ready as she initially thought. While treating a patient, Owen tapped her on the shoulder when he wanted to ask her a simple question. It was enough to make her flinch and almost have another freak out. She hated it when anybody snuck up on her, especially now. He decided it was too soon for her to be working in a hectic environment, so he placed her under Miranda's watch in General for the week. He also wanted her to see Dr. Wyatt at least once before she returned to her daily shifts in the ER.

General surgery didn't bother her. They usually worked closely with trauma surgeons, so the change wasn't drastic. She just wasn't allowed anywhere near the ER for the time being. It annoyed her, though, that Kevin was getting all of the interesting trauma cases. Some of those cases should have been hers. Jackson agreed with Owen that she needed more time away from the pit, but she missed the trauma, despite how awkward she sounded saying it.

When she wasn't operating or checking on her patients she was visiting Alex in his hospital room. April and the rest of the gang turned his room into their lunch time hang out while he was still stuck in his bed.

"I heard some guy came in with a lead pipe impaling his abdomen, but of course, I'm not allowed anywhere near the ER so Banks got him," she bitterly said. "And Hunt won't let me come back unless I sit through a therapy session with Dr. Wyatt about my traumatic experience."

"You almost stabbed him in the eye with a pair of scissors," Cristina replied with a smirk. "He wants you helping the patients, not putting them through more trauma because you're all twitchy when somebody breathes on you. It's for your own good."

Jackson was seated next to April with his legs propped up at the foot of Alex's bed. "If you want, I can go with you when you see Dr. Wyatt," he offered, patting her thigh.

April shook her head and smiled. "No, it's okay. I can go alone, but thank you." She ate her lunch while she skimmed through various printouts of possible reception venues that Catherine gave her earlier that day. "What do you think about Pan Pacific Hotel? The package includes a room for our wedding night too."

He grimaced at the price of the package. "It's kind of too expensive, don't you think?"

"Says the dude who grew up rich," Alex teased. "Isn't your mom paying for everything anyway? Who cares?"

"I thought we were going for something simpler and not too luxurious or whatever," he said defensively. "What are the other options, April?"

"Most of them are hotels, though your mom included a farm house."

"No to the farm house," Meredith chimed in. "I have a feeling we'll all be forced to line dance to 'Achy Breaky Heart' and Cristina will want to kill someone."

Cristina nodded in agreement. "I know you love your pigs and all, but no farm, Kepner."

"I wasn't really looking into that one anyway. What about this one, Jackson?" April showed her fiancé another hotel. "Hotel 1000. I like this one a lot. They'll also provide us a room. It has a cute outdoor terrace where we can have the happy hour session and there's a reception room beside it for dinner and dancing. It's a bit pricey, but it's only a 10-minute drive from the church, which is convenient."

Jackson briefly skimmed the details, then he nodded in approval. "Yeah, that one works. Let's go with that."

April grinned. "We have a reception venue, yay!" She kissed his cheek. "I'll tell your mom later."

"When are you going to search for a wedding dress?"

"The weekend after Thanksgiving. Libby and Kimmie will be here and I want their opinions too… even though they'll probably be sarcastic the entire time," she muttered the last part. "And I guess the bridesmaids can have their measurements done. Joslyn's going to be here, right?"

"That's what she says now," he answered, rolling his eyes. His sisters were known to make last minute cancellations. "Wait a week before Thanksgiving, then we'll know for sure. My mother apparently wants Sam and Jos to meet Webber. My grandfather will be coming too, so this will make for an interesting Thanksgiving. Your whole family, my whole family – maybe. I'm already anticipating something to go wrong. Holidays with the Avery's are always dysfunctional."

April certainly knew that was true. Last Christmas was almost disastrous and might have been if Libby and Kimmie were there to torment her like they always did. Jackson and Harper Sr. were engaged in an argument over his decision to become a plastic surgeon, but thankfully, Big Joe stepped in to decrease the tension. Her father may be needed again this year, especially with more company joining them for Thanksgiving.

"I hope your sisters come. I want them to meet Libby and Kimmie and we can see who outbitches the other," she quipped.

"I suppose having the whole clan around has its advantages. We could use the entertainment."

"What about your bachelor party, Avery?" Alex grinned. "Since I'm your best man I choose the strip club for the party. Strip club is a must."

April groaned. "No strip clubs. I'm sure you can figure something out that doesn't have to do with naked women shaking their breasts in your face," she retorted.

"Oh, please. I bet your bachelorette party will have some dude shaking his wiener at _your _face," he scoffed.

"No… definitely not," she replied, her cheeks turning bright red as Meredith and Cristina laughed at how embarrassed she was. "No strippers, period."

Jackson chuckled. "Gotta go with April on this one. We can live without the strippers."

Alex rolled his eyes. "You two are freaking boring."

April's pager went off and she checked to see who it was from. "Bailey." She gathered her belongings and stood up. She quickly kissed Jackson's lips before she walked towards the door. "See you later."

Alex waited for April to be out of earshot. "Okay, seriously. No strippers at all? Not even one that keeps her bra on?"

"Like April said, no strippers." Jackson smugly grinned. "I have my own stripper at home anyway."

Cristina set her lunch aside. "Jesus, Avery. Some of us are still trying to eat. Kepner may not be that big of a pain anymore, but that doesn't mean I want my mind invaded with visualizations of her doing sexy dances for you."

Jackson smiled as he ate his lunch. Unlike Cristina, he didn't mind visualizing April performing sexy dances for him in the bedroom, especially since she was too shy to ever consider trying it in reality. Maybe she would surprise him one day. He could always hope.

* * *

Aside from the post-shooting sessions with Andrew Perkins, it was only April's second time sitting through a required therapy session, her first with Dr. Wyatt. She thought they were going to talk about what happened in the ER for the entire hour she had to sit in her office, but other past events were brought up as well.

Dr. Wyatt brought her back to the shooting. Although she hadn't talked about it in at least a year, she could still remember every single detail of that day. She was writing notes in her red notebook when she tripped over Reed's lifeless body. For a brief moment, she had been more concerned about smashing her plastic surgically repaired nose against the floor. Then, the large puddle of blood underneath her caught her attention.

There was her best friend, lying in her own blood with a bullet lodged into her forehead. April was sure her face had gone pale in a split second. It took her a few minutes to finally push herself up from the floor and flee the supply closet where Gary Clark took his first victim. On the way to Derek's office, she stopped to vomit in a cart full of dirty bed sheets. Everything felt like a blur before she found the former Chief. She knew people were staring at her like she was crazy with her lab coat and scrubs covered in someone else's blood. But she didn't friggin' care.

For the entire time Derek wandered around the hospital to control the situation, April sat on the floor and the sight of Reed's dead body replayed in her head over and over again. She refused to believe she was dead. She even wanted her peers to find her in the supply closet and resuscitate her. Jackson had to convince her she was gone after he learned about what happened. It wasn't until they were escorted out of the hospital did they find out Charles had died as well. They heard the news from Miranda, who fought back her tears when she told them.

She had never experienced anything as traumatic as the shooting in Moline or Toledo, where she attended high school. Every once in a while, there were reports of college students getting attacked on campus at Akron, but again, nothing like that ever happened to her or anybody she personally knew. Even Mercy West dodged the type of tragedies Seattle Grace went through. It was all bad luck, she thought. The hospital was simply full of bad luck and the merger was the beginning of her troubles.

"You can't blame the hospital," Dr. Wyatt argued.

"I'm not," she fired back. "But don't you think some mystical force lives in this place? I mean, a shooting, car crashes trying to kill us, a plane crash nearly killing my friends? You honestly don't think this hospital is cursed?"

"It's unfortunate that all of this happened to you and the other doctors, but you can't blame it on the hospital," the psychiatrist calmly replied. "Now, let's talk about your car accident."

If only she could actually talk about it. April needed the reports from Jackson and everyone else to know what happened that day. The last memory she had was of Harold the cab driver chatting with her as they left the airport. She couldn't remember the events after that either. What exactly was she supposed to talk about?

"Jordan and I survived." She quickly shrugged. "We're past it."

"That's all you have to say about that?"

_Yes, and I have an urge to punch your face_, she said in her mind. Something about psychiatrists annoyed her, like they acted as if they knew everything about a person without having to hear the whole story. Then they would try to analyze their thoughts and behavior. They also tried to pry into their insecurities. Yeah, it was annoying.

"What else do I need to say? I'm happy with my fiancé and my son. I'm not emotionally disturbed if that's what you think. I don't have PTSD from the accident since I can't really remember how it happened. I rode in a taxi after the fact and I was fine."

"Well, did the accident change your perspective on life or anything?"

"The shooting already did that to me." _Thanks, Oprah._

"Did you appreciate your life more since the shooting?"

"Of course." _Duh._

Dr. Wyatt decided to change the subject. "Okay, let's talk about what happened last week. You and Dr. Karev were involved in an incident with a schizophrenic patient," she said, staring at her notes. "Dr. Karev fought the man and saved you from harm. What were you thinking at that exact moment when he held his knife against your neck?"

April sighed. "I thought I was going to die, to be honest." _Geez, lady. Wouldn't you?_

"Dr. Hunt said you almost attacked him with a pair of scissors this morning."

"I didn't _almost attack_ him," she replied, rolling her eyes. "I flinched. He tapped my shoulder and kind of scared me. Even before the incident I've always hated people sneaking up on me. It's nothing new."

"But you could have injured your superior."

"It was an accident!" she exclaimed. "What's your point? Are you saying I'm a danger to my own coworkers?" _If you are, I'm going to hurt you._

Dr. Wyatt shook her head. "I'm not saying you're a danger. I believe you're experiencing a little PTSD, but you're in denial. You want to jump right back into work, which is understandable, but I don't think you're ready to return to the emergency room."

"I can handle trauma. I don't know why people still question my ability to work in the ER."

"You also sound very defensive with most of your answers," she pointed out. "People act that way when they're trying to hide their insecurities. I'm not convinced you're being completely open about your feelings."

April covered her face with her hand and groaned. "I just don't think I need therapy, that's all." She dropped her hand to her side. "Does Karev have to go through this too?"

"No, because he hasn't shown any signs of PTSD, according to Dr. Hunt."

"Are you kidding me?" she snapped, throwing her arms up in the air. Tilting her head back, she stared at the ceiling. "Because of a little mishap with Hunt I'm not allowed in the ER? This is ridiculous."

"There was also an incident where you screamed, apparently, quite loudly in the hospital last week."

"Dr. Avery snuck up on me! I told you I hate it when people sneak up from behind," April argued. "I was fine after that. How do I get cleared?"

"Prove to me you're ready to return to the ER and I will clear you."

Simply screaming, "I'm ready!" wasn't going to work. She wasn't allowed in the pit, so she was confused about how she was supposed to prove her worth. "I think you're making this more difficult for me than it needs to be," she muttered.

Dr. Wyatt closed her notebook and set it aside. "No, Dr. Kepner. _You're_ making this more difficult than it needs to be."

* * *

For the next two days, April continued her stubbornness during her therapy sessions with Dr. Wyatt. She tried opening up more about her feelings, but the psychiatrist still wasn't convinced she was being completely open with her. Intriguing cases had been arriving in the ER and she was missing them. She hated being left out.

She started using her own personal spy to provide her with information about what was happening downstairs. Shane Ross, a first year resident, found April waiting for him inside one of the stairwells. If anybody was going to kiss her ass, it was him.

"Alright. So in the past hour, a man with GSW's to the chest and abdomen showed up in the ER. Has a pneumothorax, but Altman's got him. Then, a woman with stomach pains arrived. Turned out she was just having extremely awful gas." He laughed, but quickly stopped when she slightly glared at him. "And this dude came in with these weird growths all over his abdomen and back that he refused to get treatment for. It was pretty funky. Apparently, it's neurofibromatosis."

"And I'm missing that?" April pouted. She wanted in on Mr. NF. "Who's in charge of his case?"

"Uhh, I think Bailey is and Shepherd. Well, Avery's on it too."

"My Avery or Mama Avery?"

"Your Avery," Shane answered with a grin. "Hey, if they need a resident, could you put in a good word for me?"

April smiled. "Of course. Thank you for the updates, Dr. Ross. Excuse me while I go find my fiancé."

She searched for Jackson in a much better mood. A little flirtation with him could possibly do the trick to allow her into the OR. He loved it when she tried to seduce him by playfully biting down on her lower lip. Although he wouldn't admit it to her, it was his weakness and she knew it.

He was by the nurses' station signing off on charts. The plastics fellow easily noticed April when she leaned against the counter beside him. "Hey," he casually greeted her.

"I heard you have a very interesting case in your hands," she started, smiling at him and gently biting her lower lip. "Need some extra help with that?"

Jackson took a quick glimpse of April before he looked down at his chart. He did a double take after he realized what she was doing. "Are you trying to _flirt_ your way into a surgery?" he asked amusingly.

"Not just _a_ surgery. _Your_ surgery," she noted. April squeezed his hand. "C'mon, we haven't worked together in the OR in a while. This is your first NF surgery without Sloan. And since I'm still on Bailey's service-"

"She ordered me to turn you down if you asked," he guiltily replied.

"What?!" April shouted, catching the attention of everyone around them. She placed her hands on her hips and furrowed her eyebrows. "Why did she do that? How am I supposed to get anything productive done in this hospital when I'm getting banned from everything?"

He smirked at her. "Everything's a bit exaggerating it, don't you think? You can still perform surgery-"

"Only if I have somebody hovering over my shoulder," she interrupted him. "I feel like I'm a freakin' resident again. It's like nobody can trust me with a scalpel. None of this would be happening to me if I had just gone to Stanford."

Jackson stared at April, confused that she brought up Stanford. Neither of them had talked about Stanford unless one of them mentioned Samantha, but not once did she show any regret about turning them down. "Stanford?" he said, like it was a foreign word he hadn't heard of before. "You said you didn't want to go."

"Fine, I lied! I wanted to go to Stanford," she admitted. "I wanted to go, but I knew I couldn't. I stayed for you. Not for me, but for you. We all have to make sacrifices, right?"

"You promised you wouldn't have any regrets about choosing to stay here," he argued. "So you've been hiding this lie for months now just to make me happy?"

"Well, aren't you happy?"

"I am, but I'm not happy with you lying to me like this." Jackson couldn't care less that many of their colleagues were being nosy and listening to their conversation. It wasn't like they kept their voices down. "I don't like the idea of you putting on a fake smile every day since you turned down Stanford."

April quickly shook her head. "That's _not_ what I've been doing, Jackson. I _am_ happy to be here. I just hate how so many bad things have happened to me," she said defensively. "A change of scenery would've been nice for a change."

Jackson pointed at himself. "For your information, I like living in Seattle. The weather is crap, but I can live with it. All of our friends are here and you said so yourself that it's a great place to raise Jordan. Why bother bringing up past issues now? Just get over it already. Get over your problems with Dr. Wyatt and stop whining, so you can get cleared."

"Get over it? Is that what you're going to tell me whenever somebody tries to kill me or we don't agree on something?" April started walking away from Jackson. "I don't think you realize how insensitive you come off sometimes."

Meredith approached Jackson, slapping the back of his head. "She had a knife millimeters from her neck! You don't just get over that like it never happened."

"Will you stop doing that?!" he scolded, rubbing his head. "And yes, I know that. I wasn't referring to what happened in the ER, but she obviously didn't get the memo. I was talking about Stanford."

"You two aren't always going to agree on everything. All couples are like that," she assured him. "And when you think about it we're all pretty crazy for choosing to stay here after everything that has happened. I'm sure you weren't the only reason why she turned down Stanford."

"She certainly made it sound that way," he muttered.

Meredith patted Jackson's bicep. "She has a sister here. It's not just you." She smirked at him. "And I can completely understand why she has issues with Dr. Wyatt. I've been there and it took a while for me to open up to her too. Nobody likes opening up to strangers."

* * *

"Banned from the ER and now banned from working in Bailey's surgeries? What am I allowed to do at this hospital?" April paced back and forth behind the couch as she ranted her feelings to Dr. Wyatt. "And my fiancé told me to _get over it_? Maybe when he has a real near death experience he'll understand!"

Dr. Wyatt quietly sat on the opposite couch and listened to April until she finished. For about five minutes, the trauma surgeon talked nonstop. Her entire rant sounded like a run-on sentence.

April placed her hands on back of the couch, trying to breathe normally again. She looked at Dr. Wyatt, who stared back at her with the same poker faced expression since she arrived. "Were you even listening to me?" she asked irritably.

"I was," she replied. "Why don't you have a seat?"

She sat down on the couch and sighed. "I'm frustrated. And because I'm so frustrated I just got into a fight with Jackson. Now he assumes I've been lying to him for months."

"About what?"

"My job offer from Stanford. I turned it down to stay here in Seattle with Jackson and Jordan."

"But you wanted to go?"

"Yes." April frowned. "I figured it'd be nice to work at a hospital where my peers appreciate me on a daily basis. I thought maybe I could feel more accepted over there. Here, they've gotten used to me, but I still don't think I get enough respect from them."

Dr. Wyatt nodded. "Okay, and what makes you believe everything would be better at Stanford?"

"Well, for the three days I was there the people were welcoming and they didn't mind my enthusiasm. Jackson's sister was intimidating at first, but we warmed up to each other," she explained. "And they wanted me because of my potential to be a great trauma surgeon. No disrespect to Dr. Hunt. I'm grateful he gave me another chance, but I think he favors Dr. Banks more."

"Why is that?"

"He hasn't screwed up yet. He hasn't been fired twice from the same hospital, unlike myself."

"Why did you want to become a trauma surgeon, Dr. Kepner?"

"Because it's not easy." April softly laughed to herself. "Surgery in general isn't easy, but for me, trauma is spontaneous and challenging. You don't know what's coming through those doors in the ER. And there's little room for error. That motivates me even more to save people's lives." _And I owned trauma certification's ass._

"And you sometimes put yourself in danger with potentially dangerous patients."

April nodded and smiled. "A schizophrenic with a knife won't scare me away from doing what I love." She quickly shrugged. "We all put ourselves in danger every day. Nobody's invulnerable here and keeping me away from the ER won't guarantee I'll be safe in another part of the hospital. Crap happens and I can accept that."

Dr. Wyatt smiled at April. "Okay. You're free to go."

"Free to go where?" she asked with a puzzled expression on her face.

"Back to the ER. I'm clearing you."

She stared at the psychiatrist in disbelief. "What? Just like that? You're messing with me, aren't you?"

"Nope. I'm serious. You were lacking confidence in our previous sessions, Dr. Kepner. And you weren't opening up about your feelings as much. I think getting angry once in a while helps you grow more confidence in yourself."

April supposed she was right. Everyone making fun of her for being a virgin at Joe's, dealing with Alex during trauma certification, getting Meredith to listen to her when she was Chief Resident, kicking Kevin's ass at the bar. She always needed a bit of fuel to ignite the fire inside of her before she could defend herself. Her argument with Jackson seemed to be the key to getting cleared.

"So, I can work in the ER again?" she asked eagerly.

Dr. Wyatt nodded. "Starting tomorrow. I'll let Dr. Hunt know."

She grinned widely. "Thank you so much," she chirped. Now all that was left was to patch things up with Jackson at home.

* * *

Jackson's shift ended a few hours after April's, so he drove home alone. The rest of his day consisted of planning how to operate on the NF patient with Miranda and Derek and wondering what to say to April at home. He hadn't seen her after their argument. He thought it was best if he gave her some space anyway.

The apartment was quiet with the exception of April and Jordan's voices echoing from another room. The lights in the living room were on. April always felt more secure with them on if Jackson wasn't home yet. He walked down the hallway where light shined from the bathroom.

Jordan sat in the bath tub splashing water with his hand and playing with the various boats floating by him, while April sat on the edge of the tub and watched him. Jackson entered the bathroom and his son immediately took notice of his presence.

"Dada!"

Jackson smiled. Since Jordan started calling him Dada two days before, his baby voice automatically made him happy. He kissed the top his head, then he sat beside his fiancée and sighed. "About earlier-"

"My fault," she insisted. "I was mad and you know I don't think sometimes before I talk-"

"You were being honest-"

"I still shouldn't have said it, Jack-"

"No, we agreed to be honest with each-"

"But I _am_ happy to be here, so-"

"It's fine." He chuckled. "Maybe we should stop cutting each other off first. Umm… I'm sorry if I came off insensitive. I wasn't telling you to get over what happened last week. I was referring to Stanford, but I kind of acted like a douche in front of our coworkers."

April placed her hands on Jackson's cheeks and grinned. "But I have to thank you for that!" she excitedly said. "Dr. Wyatt cleared me today. I don't know how it all happened, but she said being angry helps me become more confident in myself. She claimed I lacked confidence during our other sessions. After our talk, she cleared me. Isn't that awesome?"

"That's great news," he congratulated her. "So, we're good?"

"Of course we are." She kissed his lips. "And I'm sorry if I offended you earlier. I'm really okay with staying here."

"Don't worry about it anymore, alright? It's done and over with." Jackson leaned forward to kiss April, but Jordan's raspberry interrupted them. He smirked at their baby boy. "What? You don't like me kissing your beautiful mommy?"

He reached over to pinch Jordan's cheek, but he lost his balance and slipped into the bath tub. His fall splashed water all over his son and April, who gasped before she laughed loudly. Jordan used his tiny hands to wipe the water from his eyes. Fortunately, he wasn't startled. He simply looked at Jackson with a goofy grin on his face.

"Jackson, are you okay?" April asked and bit her lower lip, so she couldn't laugh at him.

He was visibly embarrassed, but he had to laugh. Pushing himself up, he climbed out of the bath tub. His entire backside was soaked with soapy water. "Yeah, I'm fine."

April squealed when he picked her up and she knew right away what he wanted to do. "Jackson, no! Don't you dare!" she demanded as he mischievously grinned at her. "I mean it!"

Jackson ignored her, lowering her down to the bath tub. She tried to press her hands against the wall to stop him, but he dropped her into the water when she was close enough to the surface. "Oops."

Jordan appeared to be amused, slapping his hands against the water and giggling at his parents.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry." Jackson helped April out of the bath tub. He picked up a towel and began drying her backside for her with a smile on his face. It felt good to be relieved of the awkward tension they built up earlier that day.

* * *

Being back in the ER felt normal for April. She was so joyful to be back that she wanted to skip from patient to patient if she could. Her first day back was perfect timing because it was a full ER. A pile up on the freeway required all hands on deck for the trauma crew. Nothing overly serious, but there were many injuries to be treated and she was glad to be helping them out.

She carried a box of brand new dressings from the supply closet. It was borderline chaotic in the emergency room with doctors and nurses bumping into each other trying to help their patients. A little too crowded in her opinion.

"Excuse me, please," she politely said as she pushed her way through. She bumped into a man causing her to drop the box and spill the dressings all over the floor. "Oh, crap!"

"Here, let me help you."

April was too busy picking up the packaged dressings to notice the person helping her. "Thank you. Sorry about that. It's kind of crazy in here right now if you haven't noticed."

"No, it's fine. Uhh, do you think you could help me out for a second? I'm not from here and I'm looking for a doctor."

"Umm… if you give me their name, I can probably tell you where to find this doctor," she suggested. April finished gathering the dressings and stood up, carrying the box again. "Who are you looking for?"

"Jackson Avery," Harper Jr. answered, slightly smiling at her. "I'm his father."

April dropped the box again, her eyes wide open and both of her eyebrows raised. Her mouth opened to speak, but nothing came out. She cleared her throat and continued to stare at Harper Jr. in shock. "O-oh."

* * *

**Sorry, but I will not be updating on Monday. Busy weekend, followed by going out of town for Christmas where I won't have Internet or at least decent access. Chapter 8 will be posted next Thursday instead. Don't hate me! :p**

**And Happy Holidays, everyone!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay, I'm back! Hope everyone had a nice holiday. Now we can return to regular programming ;)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Before Jackson came along, April had a vision of how meeting her future father-in-law would be. She imagined he would be accepting of her because she was loyal, faithful and polite to others. Even though she didn't have a long list of boyfriends' fathers to try to impress, she considered herself to be good enough to be somebody's daughter-in-law. She also thought she would meet him with her fiancé by her side.

Instead, she stood in the middle of the emergency room with the box of dressings she dropped sitting by her feet. Harper Avery Jr. was standing across from her, waiting for a response from the speechless doctor. She could see some of Jackson's physical features in his father. He stared at her without having a clue who she was. She was positive he didn't know Jackson was engaged to her, let alone engaged to anybody. Awkward. So awkward.

"Excuse me, uhh…" Harper Jr. leaned forward to read April's name stitched on her lab coat. "Dr. Kepner. Do you know where I can find my son?"

"He's… he's in surgery right now," she slowly answered and she was telling the truth. Jackson was in the middle of his NF surgery with Miranda and Derek. "It'll take a while, but… maybe you could wait for him in the lobby? This is the ER and as you can see it's really busy right now."

Harper Jr. nodded. "Ah, yes of course. Where is the lobby?"

April snapped her fingers at Shane, who quickly responded to her. "Dr. Ross, could you take this man to the main lobby? He's a little lost," she ordered. "Make it quick. We need every set of available hands."

"Got it, Dr. Kepner." Shane gestured his hand towards Harper Jr. "Come with me, sir."

Harper Jr. smiled at April as he walked past her. "Thank you, Dr. Kepner."

April knelt down on the floor to gather the spilled dressings again. For a brief moment, she almost wanted to tell Harper Jr. who she was. She wasn't just Dr. Kepner. They were going to have the same last name soon. She didn't want to tell him without talking to Jackson first, but he wouldn't be out of surgery for another two or three hours. Maybe nobody would notice his father dropped in for a surprise visit.

* * *

Once the activity in the ER became calmer, April went to the lobby to check on Harper Jr. She stopped herself about ten feet away and quietly observed the man. He sat in his seat reading a magazine. It amazed her how much Jackson's mannerisms were similar to Harper Jr.'s. They crossed their legs the same way and Jackson had the same wrinkle on his forehead whenever he furrowed his eyebrows. The way they pursed their lips were exactly the same too. Earlier during their first meeting, she definitely noticed the matching eye color. She saw a lot of Jackson in his father.

She slowly approached him, politely clearing her throat to get his attention. "Dr. Avery- or umm, Mr. Avery?" She wasn't sure what to call him.

Harper Jr. set his magazine on his lap and smiled. "You can call me Harper, Dr. Kepner. Is Jackson out of surgery yet?"

"I'm not sure, but I can check for you. Just wait a little longer. He should be finished soon."

"Why don't you have a seat first? I bet you're tired from running around in that ER," he suggested. "Are you and Jackson friends?"

April sat beside Harper Jr. and nervously laughed. "Uhh, yes. We're friends. Actually, we're best friends. I've known him since we started our internship at Mercy West," she shyly answered. She desperately didn't want to let the other 'F' word slip out. "We're good, good friends."

"Best friends, huh? Well, you seem like a very nice young woman, Dr. Kepner. Can you tell me more about him? I saw him recently in North Carolina and he uhh… wasn't open to sharing information about his personal life," he said disappointedly. "I mean, I don't blame him. I haven't been in his life for a really long time, but I want to be involved again. Seeing him was like an overdue wake up call."

"Umm, I don't know if Jackson would be okay with me spilling his information without his knowledge." She quickly stood up and forced a grin. "I'll go check on him right now and I'll get back to you, okay?"

He shrugged and picked up his magazine. "Sure. You know where to find me."

It wasn't until April entered an elevator did she feel more relaxed. Harper Jr. seemed like a kind person, but she still didn't feel comfortable having a conversation with him. He was the man who abandoned Jackson after all. She always saw herself as the type of person who wanted to know people better before she made any judgments about them. The night Jackson broke down about his father made her assume he was a horrible person. She couldn't imagine Big Joe ever leaving his family like that. She felt lucky to have a father who put his family before himself.

But after meeting Harper Jr. face to face, she had second thoughts. She believed everybody deserved the chance to redeem themselves. She was able to. Maybe the elder Avery was a different man now.

She walked into OR 1 holding a surgical mask in front of her face. "Excuse me, but umm… Dr. Bailey? How much longer will your surgery be taking?"

"About another hour or so. Why?" Miranda asked without looking up from her patient.

"I… uhh, I need to talk to Dr. Avery, but it can wait."

"Talk about what?" Jackson briefly turned around to look at April. "Is it important?"

"Like I said, it can wait. I won't be busy."

"Kepner, now's not the time to schedule your next booty call," Miranda bluntly said.

April's eyes widened. "What? No- no! It's not that. I sincerely do need to talk to Dr. Avery." Even with the mask covering half of her face, she knew she was blushing as the rest of the staff chuckled at her. "Just talking. No… _that_."

Jackson set his instruments down and approached April. "What is it? Is something wrong with Jordan?" he whispered.

"No, he's fine," she whispered back. "We can talk later, okay? It's nothing. Finish your surgery first."

"Are you okay? You sound a little worried."

"I'm fine, Jackson." She smiled behind her mask. "Trust me. Everything's alright."

* * *

Not being able to tell Jackson about Harper Jr. was bothering April tremendously. She needed to talk to somebody. Catherine was out of the question. That was suicide. There was only one person in the hospital she could trust and talk to.

"So that's Jackson's dad?" Lexie asked as she bit into her king sized Snickers bar. She and April watched Harper Jr. from the nurses' station in the main lobby. "I thought he died. Well, Jackson made it sound like he died."

"You're not the only one," April agreed. "He doesn't know I'm the fiancée. I doubt he has a clue that he's a grandfather too. Do you think he'd be good with Jordan? He looks… grandfatherly."

Lexie quickly shrugged. "Neither of us know him well enough, but how can anybody _not_ adore Jordan? That baby's such a cutie pie," she gushed with a mouthful of candy bar. "How do you think Jackson will react when he sees him?"

"He'll be pissed. I'm already bracing myself for an ugly encounter," she replied worriedly.

"He's kind of cute."

"Eww, Lex." April looked at her friend with a disgusted expression on her face. "That man is going to be my father-in-law. I just can't look at him like that."

Lexie smirked at her. "I'm not the one marrying Jackson, so I can think he's cute. He was clearly blessed with pretty genes from both of his parents."

The trauma surgeon shook her head as Lexie took another bite out of her Snickers bar. "How can you feed the twins so much sugar? You've been eating candy since Halloween. Give them some carrots or something," she nagged.

"You sound like Addison," she whined. "Hey, when we get our measurements taken for the bridesmaid dresses how much extra inches should we write down for myself? By the time March rolls around, I'll look like a hot air balloon."

Lexie groaned as she placed her hand on her small bump. "Oh, God. I'm gonna be so fat. Stretch marks, a swollen right leg from leaning on it too much… I'll be peeing all day."

April softly laughed. "But it'll all be worth it in the end."

"Easy for you to say. You didn't go through the swollen feet phase." Lexie sighed after April raised her eyebrow at her. "I know it's because of unfortunate circumstances. I'm an idiot with raging hormones. Sorry."

"It's fine. This probably sounds crazy, but I do want to experience that," she sheepishly said. "Eventually, I want Jordan to have a sibling and I'd like to have a drama-free pregnancy. Also, Jackson wasn't involved the first time. He needs to experience my mood swings and random cravings."

"I made Mark drive down to Portland and buy me some Voodoo Doughnuts yesterday," Lexie proudly said. "And he didn't argue like I thought he would. He's been such a sweetheart since he found out about the twins. Although, I felt a little bad that I ate all of the doughnuts without sharing with him."

Jackson emerged out of the elevator and found April at the nurses' station. His surgery was successful and he had hoped they were meeting in an on-call room to celebrate. However, her page telling him to find her downstairs meant she really did want to talk, leaving him slightly disappointed.

He walked towards her and Lexie, then he leaned against the counter. "I'm all yours now. What did you want to talk about?"

April looked over her shoulder, biting her lower lip. She knew he wouldn't be in such a good mood after the bomb she was about to drop on him. "Your dad… is…" She pointed out Harper Jr. in the lobby. "…right there."

"What?" Jackson spun around and found his father waiting for him nearby. He approached him with clenched fists. As soon as Harper Jr. saw him, he barely gave him a chance to speak.

Harper Jr. got up from his seat. "Hello, Jack-"

From the nurses' station, April gasped after Jackson punched the elder Avery, knocking him to the floor. "Oh, crap!"

Lexie grimaced as April ran towards the scene. She took another big bite out of her Snickers bar. "Yeesh," she mumbled. Mark wasn't going to be too thrilled with Jackson potentially hurting his pretty hand.

* * *

Inside of a conference room were Jackson, Harper Jr. and Owen. After security managed to stop the plastic surgeon from annihilating his father, the Chief was informed of the incident. April waited outside with Lexie, who was now munching on baby carrots. The blinds were partially open, so they were able to peek inside. Jackson and Harper Jr. were sitting on opposite sides of a large table. Both of them were icing their respective body parts, Jackson's knuckles and Harper's nose. Owen stood in the middle with his arms folded. He was waiting for Catherine to arrive.

April had a worried expression on her face. She wished she knew what would happen to Jackson. Probation? Suspension? Fired? Any of those three were possibilities. She hoped the last option wasn't even an option.

"I think Owen's going to fire him." She frowned at Lexie. "What if he fires him? Or… or Harper presses charges and Jackson goes to prison?"

Lexie rolled her eyes. "Jackson's not going to get fired and I highly doubt his father will press charges," she dismissively answered. "He'll probably get a slap on the wrist. Mark will give him crap for bruising his hand. No big deal."

Meredith and Cristina strolled down the hallway and stopped outside of the conference room. Both of them peeked inside through the blinds, trying to catch a glimpse of Harper Jr.

"So that's the other Harper Avery? I heard he could've been the next greatest cardiothoracic surgeon if he hadn't quit," Cristina recalled. "Pretty Boy got him good. That nose is definitely broken. He's so gonna get fired."

"Will he really?" April panicked. "You better be joking, Cristina!"

"He's not getting fired," Meredith insisted. "His mother will make sure of that. Doesn't mean he won't leave that room unpunished."

Kevin was the next coworker to show up and snoop around. He stood beside Meredith taking his turn at peeking through the blinds. "Jackson punched his dad? Ballsy."

April became fed up with her colleagues and started to shoo them away with her arms. "Okay, you guys need to go away. Don't you all have patients to check on?"

Cristina nodded her head towards the closed door. "Why aren't you in there?"

"Harper doesn't know she's Jackson's fiancée," Lexie pointed out, biting on another carrot.

"Ashamed to be an Avery already?" the cardio fellow teased.

"It's not that," April replied irritably. "I didn't want to tell him anything without Jackson's consent. It's a given he doesn't have the best relationship with his father. Plus, I don't know Harper at all, so I should be protecting Jackson by default."

Catherine arrived, forcing the doctors to scatter away from the conference room. She spotted April trying to escape and cleared her throat. "Dr. Kepner, get your baby behind back here," she ordered, pointing down at the floor in front of her.

The trauma surgeon approached her while her eyes avoided direct contact with Catherine's. She knew Mama Avery wasn't messing around right now. "Umm, yes?" she timidly responded.

"Just where do you think you're going, dear?"

"I uhh… wasn't sure if I should be in the conference room with you guys… because this is more of a family issue…" Her voice trailed off as she couldn't figure out how to talk her way out of the situation. "I think one of my patients is dying."

"Nonsense. You're coming with me."

Pulling on April's arm, Catherine walked into the conference room with her and closed the door behind her. When she heard from Owen that Jackson nearly beat the crap out of his father she couldn't help but laugh. Despite feeling angry at her son for his lack of professionalism, she was proud of him for standing up for her family. There was unfinished business between her and Harper Jr.

She considered him a coward for disappearing after the divorce. They never did see each other during the divorce process either. It marked their first encounter since he left her 15 years ago. She wanted to have fun with it.

"Well, look who finally grew a pair and showed his face again," the urologist sneered. She released April's arm and watched her check on Jackson's hand. "Have you met Jackson's fiancée?"

"Fiancée?" Harper Jr. eyed April curiously. "She just told me they were friends."

"April's a wise woman." Catherine smiled at the redhead. "She knows where her loyalties lie. What are you doing in Seattle, Harper? Run out of money for alcohol and looking to scam our baby boy for his?"

"I am _not_ an alcoholic anymore. I've been sober for ten years now," he sternly replied. Harper pointed at Jackson, whose icy stare made him uncomfortable. "We ran into each other in North Carolina. I… want to be involved in his life again. Our daughters' too."

"Sam and Jos couldn't care less about you," Jackson muttered, staring at his bruised knuckles. "They're happily married cardiothoracic surgeons. They don't need you and neither do I. You're wasting your time by being here."

Catherine placed her hands on her hips as she stared at Jackson appalled. "You saw your father recently and you never told me?" she asked petulantly. "Did you think this would go unnoticed?"

He smirked at his mother. "It worked for a few weeks, didn't it? Besides, April knew about it."

April nervously bit her lower lip. Without having to make eye contact with Catherine, she could feel her eyes staring her down. She thought maybe she had made a mistake about telling Jackson that his father was in Seattle. He wouldn't have broken Harper Jr.'s nose and she wouldn't be caught up in their family drama.

But a part of her wanted Jackson and his father to have that father-son relationship they didn't get to experience during their younger years. If anybody needed to redeem himself, it was Harper Jr. He never was much of a father to Jackson, so she couldn't blame him for being pissed at him. They needed to meet halfway, but Jackson was too stubborn to have a decent conversation with him. Eventually, maybe they could form a close bond. She thought it would be nice to have his father at their wedding.

The conference room was dead silent. April was reluctant to say anything because the situation had been awkward enough with her and Owen inside while the Avery's bickered back and forth with each other. Fortunately, Owen decided to intervene.

"I'm sorry to interrupt this… family reunion… but we really should discuss what happened downstairs." He gestured his hand towards Harper Jr. "You broke your father's nose, Dr. Avery. There's a possibility he will need surgery for it to heal properly. Also, what you did was a fireable offense. At this hospital, we do _not_ provoke violence on a fellow staff member, patient or guest unless he or she needs to be restrained for whatever reason. I know you're a good guy, Avery, so I'm not going to fire you. However, I will suspend you for the next two weeks. No patients, no cases, no OR time. I don't want you stepping a foot into our hospital unless you're needed for a family emergency."

Catherine nodded her head in approval. "I think that's a fair trade," she said, folding her arms. "And I guarantee you, my son won't do something this stupid again."

Jackson simply scowled at Harper Jr. as he slowly open and closed his injured hand. He blamed himself for telling him where he worked. He could have easily searched for him even if he never told him, but he just made it easier for his father to find him.

"Can I go now?" he asked impatiently.

Owen nodded. "Go home."

The plastics fellow got up from his seat and left the conference room so fast that April had to chase after him. She matched his stride, following him into an elevator. He angrily pushed the fifth floor button.

April frowned. "Jackson-"

"Why couldn't you have just turned him away? Why did you let him stay?" he angrily asked, turning around towards her.

"This isn't my fault! I wasn't sure what to do. He showed up in the ER when it was hectic and I didn't have time to deal with him. Don't put the blame on me. I wasn't the one who punched him," she rebuked. It hurt to hear him blaming her for the incident. "Maybe- maybe you should forgive him, Jackson. Start over and try to get along with your dad."

"I don't want to have anything to do with him! You need to understand that, April." Jackson stepped out of the elevator after it reached the fifth floor. "I know you want to help, but this isn't something you can fix with your perkiness and positive attitude or whatever you do to solve people's problems. I don't want him knowing about Jordan either. He doesn't deserve to meet his grandson."

April sighed as she followed Jackson into the attendings locker room. "Can you chill out for a second and talk to me?" she pleaded. She grabbed his wrist and forced him to face her. "First of all, I don't appreciate you blaming me for what happened earlier with Harper. And second, I don't know how you deal with your issues in your family, but in my family we don't ignore them. We actually try to work things out. Please, let me help you."

He could call their encounter in North Carolina a coincidence, but she saw it as a sign of fate.

"I think… you and your dad were meant to meet again," she added. "I believe in fate. Maybe that car accident was supposed to happen. Jordan brought us back together. I'm not saying we would never be together if we didn't have Jordan, but… God has a plan designed for all of us. I know you're not the most religious person out there, but you don't have to be to believe in fate, right?"

Jackson slowly pulled away from April. "I really should go home now," he said, walking to his locker. "I'll pick Jordan up from daycare and bring him with me. I'll see you later."

"Fine," she softly said as she began to leave the locker room. "We can talk about this at home."

* * *

April waited outside of Harper Jr.'s hospital room, while Mark examined his nose and discussed surgery with him. He sported the raccoon eyes and his nose was crooked. The Head of Plastics wasn't pleased about Jackson's suspension. He even attempted to decrease it by one week, though he failed. He relied on his student for almost everything because he trusted him. Now he had to place that trust on an attending whose name he could barely remember.

She became fully alert when he stepped out of the room. "Dr. Sloan, how bad did Jackson break his nose?"

"Bad enough that I have to realign the nasal bones and repair his nasal septum," Mark answered, walking towards the nurses' station. "But he's in excellent hands. Harper's nose will look as good as new because I'm pretty awesome at my job."

"Did you know they saw each other in North Carolina?" she asked curiously.

"Nope, but I did see him when we went out for a run. I just didn't know he was _the_ Harper Avery Jr." Mark leaned against the counter with his arms folded. "You knew, right?"

April slowly nodded. "After finally getting him to open up to me, yes. Don't you think they should try to reconcile their differences? Since Harper's going out of his way to see Jackson now I think he should give him a chance."

"I understand where Jackson's coming from. I had daddy issues myself," he recalled. "But he's lucky. As much as his mom drives him crazy, she took care of him. Both of my parents weren't like that at all. I practically grew up with Derek's family. Anyway, you can't force him to forgive Harper if he doesn't want to. It's up to him to decide if he wants him back in his life."

She watched him walk away, then she looked inside Harper Jr.'s room from the nurses' station. The good person in her wanted to pay him a visit and get to know him, maybe talk about herself for a few minutes as well. On the other hand, she knew Jackson wouldn't be happy about her making friends with his father. Catherine was clearly on Jackson's side and she didn't want to create even more turmoil within the family.

She felt torn because she hated seeing how broken the Avery's were. Her family was always close, despite clashing with Libby and Kimmie almost every day. Jackson wasn't very close to Samantha and Joslyn. He spent more time complaining about them than praising them. He was constantly annoyed with his mother and he hated his father. Her relationships with her parents and sisters were the polar opposite of his.

After a minute of contemplating what to do, she decided to be the good person and talk to Harper Jr. Their conversation could go either really well or extremely disastrous. She hoped everything would work out in the end.

Harper Jr. noticed April immediately when she appeared at the doorway. He waved at her to come in before she even asked. "Dr. Kepner, it's nice to see you again," he greeted her.

"You can call me April," she said, softly smiling as she took a seat beside his bed. "Umm… I'm sorry for what Jackson did earlier. I… I didn't know he would… do _that_ to you."

He quickly shook his head. "No, you don't have to apologize. I suppose I deserved it. I mean, I did leave my family abruptly and never bothered to look back," he guiltily said. "Jackson has every right to be angry with me. I was never there for him. Not since he was a little boy."

"Did you even take the time to think about him after you left?"

"When I wasn't drinking, yes." He softly chuckled. "Which I hate to admit wasn't often. It's not easy being an Avery."

April had to laugh at that comment. When she first met Jackson he said the same thing. "Well, I'm going to officially be one in March, so I'm either brave or I have no idea what I'm getting myself into," she joked, gently biting down on her lower lip.

Harper Jr. smirked at the trauma surgeon. "Have you met my father?"

"I have. He doesn't scare me," she confidently said. "Catherine scares me, to be honest. I mean, I have to work with her in this hospital almost every day and she's been taking care of a lot of the wedding planning. Staying on her good side is a must."

He playfully pointed at himself and laughed. "I married her. Trust me, she's not as intimidating as she looks," he assured her before he decided to change the subject. "How long have you and Jackson been together?"

She figured it had to have been at least a year now. In fact, she had completely forgotten about their 1-year anniversary – whenever it was. To be fair, Jackson forgot too. Neither of them even talked about celebrating their first anniversary as a couple. Everything happened so fast after she regained her memory that she couldn't remember what day they officially started dating.

"Umm… a year. Definitely a year," she replied awkwardly. To tell him everything or keep her mouth shut? That question had been killing her since their first conversation in the lobby. "It was complicated last year."

"Complicated?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "How so?"

_Shut up, April. Shut up, _she told herself in her head. If she could, she would sew her lips shut at that moment. "I almost died," the redhead blurted out. She sighed as Harper Jr. stared at her attentively. "Car accident. Umm… had post-traumatic amnesia for a while and uhh, had a… baby."

A small smile formed on Harper Jr.'s face. "A baby? So, I'm a grandfather?"

_Oh, what the hell?_ He appeared to be delighted by the news, so April pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and quickly opened the most recent picture she took of Jordan. She held it out in front of him with a grin on her face. "This is Jordan Charles Avery. He turned one on October 11th. I… heard about the whole Egbert tradition, but umm… Jackson hates that name."

Harper Jr. laughed. "Don't worry about it. I bet his grandfather despises the fact that he chose plastics over cardio," he added. He stared at the picture of Jordan. "He looks a lot like Jackson when he was a baby boy. Beautiful child."

"He sings your lullaby to him," she mentioned. "Catherine told me you made up a lullaby for Jackson when he was born. She used to sing it to him after you stopped. I hear him singing it to Jordan occasionally."

"Does he really?" he asked, sounding impressed. "He sounds like he's a good father."

"He's the best," she chirped. April wasn't trying to overhype Jackson's parenting skills either. She loved that they equally shared the responsibilities. Sometimes he hogged Jordan, which wasn't a bad thing at all in her mind. "One of the many qualities I love about him."

* * *

April arrived home in a pleasant mood. Her visit with Harper Jr. was better than she anticipated. She felt comfortable around him. They learned a lot about each other in the short time she was in his room.

Harper Jr. was a high school teacher in Norfolk and taught Biology and Chemistry. He used to love being a doctor until his father constantly pressured him to become an award winning surgeon like himself. His job kept him away from his children, though he placed some blame on himself for not voluntarily taking time off to be with them. His second family did know he was married with children in the past.

He admitted to wanting to call Jackson countless times over the years, but he would choke at the last second and never pull through with his plan. He thought maybe he hurt him more than he hurt Catherine. There weren't a lot of memories he could share about Jackson because he wasn't around a lot for them.

April told him about the car accident and what she could remember from it. She talked about how she and Jackson became friends and eventually more than that. She also shared information about her own family and growing up in Moline. She would have told Harper Jr. just about everything if she hadn't received a page from the ER. The conversation ended there, but she didn't have any regrets about visiting him.

She walked into their apartment. The lights in the living room were off, but the TV was on. It was late, but Jackson had waited up for her. He sat up on the couch, turning around to look at her.

"Hey," he casually greeted her. "Jordan's already asleep. Are you tired? I thought we could do a cheesy movie date night thing."

Cheesy to him, but it was romantic to her. However, it didn't matter anyway. Whenever they had the free time for movie date night at home, Jackson always picked a movie that she never had any interest in, so they would end up making out on the couch instead.

"I'm not tired," she replied as she approached him. April leaned forward to give him a kiss, then she set her belongings on the coffee table before she sat down next to him. "What movie do you have in mind? Will this one have heads exploding too?"

Jackson grinned and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "No exploding heads, I promise." He picked up the remote and opened the romantic dramas list in their Netflix browser. "Your choice."

"What's the catch?" she asked with a smirk.

"Not really a catch, but I was an ass today. Honestly, I felt like crap after I got home because of the way I treated you. I acted like a jerk to you when I shouldn't have. I'm sorry for blaming you earlier," he apologized and gently kissed her lips. He smiled as he pulled her closer to his side. "So, let's relax and watch whatever movie you want. I know you wanted to talk about my dad after you got home, but why ruin the mood? We both need some relaxation."

"But we'll talk about him eventually, right?"

Jackson nodded. "Sure, but not right now."

April decided to go with the flow, snuggling with her fiancé as they skimmed through the movie choices. She was thankful he apologized, but he was still trying to avoid talking about Harper Jr. altogether. Now when she thought about it, telling him about her visit with his father could open up a whole new can of worms. She wasn't quite ready for that yet.

* * *

**Let me know what you think please :)**

**Next chapter (on Monday) might make you hate Jackson a little bit (or maybe April? I dunno, pick a side). The promo for 9x10 pissed me off, so I took out my anger on him in this story when I wrote it, lol.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks for the reviews! It's the last day of 2012, woohoo! Hopefully, 2013 will give us some nice Japril scenes soon.**

**Enjoy chapter 9!**

* * *

Two weeks without practicing medicine and performing surgeries felt like an eternity for Jackson. It was only the first full day of his suspension, but being able to spend quality time with Jordan was the positive that came out of it. His own father never had the opportunity to be with him for a whole day. Plus the fact that Harper Jr. was still at Seattle Grace Mercy West gave him another reason to stay away from the hospital – not that he was allowed to be there anyway if he wanted to see him.

And movie date night with April was enjoyable – from what he could remember. He teased her for crying during _The Last Song_. He had no idea what was happening during the movie because he slept through half of it. It was her sniffles that woke him up. Fortunately for him, she never noticed he snoozed away… well, until he declared it was a good movie and she knew he was lying. Jackson Avery loathed these types of movies.

He sat at the dining table eating a bowl of cereal while he watched Jordan pick up pieces of Cheerios and feed himself in his high chair. There was a whole day to plan with his baby boy, but he was stumped on what to do. Take him to the park? It was a chilly November and April would nag him to death if Jordan caught a cold. Bring him to the mall and buy him a new pair of Nike's? He already bought him seven different pairs. Or perhaps some Chuck's? Maybe for Christmas. A ferryboat ride would be fun, though Jackson was paranoid about being too close to the edge and accidentally dropping his son into the water. It would be easier to know what to do if he had ideas to steal from his father, but there weren't any. April was better at planning these types of activities.

While she would love to spend the day with her favorite boys, she had to work. April walked into the living room as she prepared to leave for the hospital. She wanted to spend a few moments with her family first.

"How are my boys this morning?" she cheerfully asked. Jordan held up a Cheerio as high as he could in front of her. She let him feed her, then she kissed the top of his head. "Aww, thank you, baby."

"There's coffee ready for you in the kitchen," Jackson pointed out. "You're not gonna eat?"

"I'll just grab something along the way. I need to make sure my residents didn't kill a couple of my patients from yesterday's pile up." April went to the kitchen to pour coffee into her travel mug. She returned to grab her purse and kissed Jackson goodbye. "Thanks for the coffee. What are you two going to do today?"

The plastics fellow quickly shrugged. "Maybe visit Reed and Charles."

"Oh," she answered, unsure if he was joking with her. "Well, make sure Jordan wears a thick jacket. It's gloomy and cold today and I don't-"

"Want him to catch a cold," he finished the sentence for her with a smirk. "I know, April. Actually, I haven't figured out what to do today. Any ideas?"

"Besides walking around the apartment in your underwear, right?" April giggled. She leaned forward, wrapping her arms over his shoulders and pressing her cheek against his. "Watch a little _Sesame Street_ or any children's show with a lot of music. Jordan loves that. If it's not too cold and raining, take him to the park. How about we meet up for lunch? Anywhere close to the hospital."

Jackson smiled and nodded. "We can do that. Text me when you'll be available and we'll meet you in the parking lot." He turned his head to kiss her once more. "Have fun at work. Oh, before I forget, when's my dad leaving Seattle?"

April was a little surprised he mentioned his father. She thought they would only talk if she brought him up herself. "I have no idea. Sloan's supposed to operate on his nose today." She pulled away from him. "Don't you think you should apologize to him before he leaves? Even if you don't want a relationship with him, it's the least you could do. He's really trying, Jackson."

"How would you know? You've barely said a word to him," he said, slowly raising an eyebrow. "Right?"

"I have to go before I'm late," she quickly responded. Walking towards the front door, she blew a kiss to Jackson and Jordan. "Bye, you guys! I'll see you later."

Once the door closed, Jordan's smile evaporated and a frown immediately formed on his face. His lip quivered and Jackson knew what was coming. He cringed when his son started crying loudly. "No, no. We'll see Mama later, buddy," he comforted him after picking him up from his high chair.

It wasn't often Jordan cried when one of his parents left the room. He was used to the people at the daycare center, but he hadn't seen much of April yesterday. He had already fallen asleep when she returned home from work. Jackson always joked that their child was a mama's boy, so his separation anxiety wasn't surprising to him.

"Shh, it's okay," he cooed, rubbing Jordan's back as he held him against his shoulder. "Mama was in a bit of a hurry, huh? I'll find out what she's hiding later when we see her again."

* * *

April paid Harper Jr. another visit after his nasal surgery in the morning was finished. Although partially groggy and uncomfortable because he could only breathe through his mouth, she found him to be a laid back person. She learned he was more uptight during his surgical career and he found teaching to be more relaxing for him. He appreciated her company since nobody else was visiting him, except for Cristina, who occasionally passed by his door like a creeper, and one of Mark's residents.

It felt a little awkward at first that she already had a better relationship with Harper Jr. than Jackson did, but he quickly warmed up to her. He had to be a different person in the past because the man she spoke with sounded caring and friendly. People do change after all, she thought, using herself as an example. Now she hoped Jackson could see what she saw in his father.

One topic she avoided was the wedding. She personally wanted to invite him, but she already knew she was on thin ice with Jackson after nearly blurting out that she had been visiting Harper Jr. And sharing information about Jordan, despite his request not to tell his father about his grandson? He definitely would not be okay with that. She wasn't sure how she would pull herself out of the hole she dug herself in, but she believed it was the right thing to do.

"So what's a bubbly woman like you doing in trauma?" he asked intrigued. "What drew you in?"

"Dr. Hunt saw potential in me during trauma certification. I don't mean to brag, but I did very, very well saving dummies in the pouring rain," she proudly answered with a grin. She quickly shrugged. "Sometimes Jackson still can't believe how composed I am in the ER. We both started our residency with different specialties in mind. I was looking into neuro and he, of course, cardio."

Harper Jr. slightly smiled. He wasn't shocked Jackson almost went into cardio. He figured his family heavily influenced him, especially Harper Sr. "I'm relieved he chose a different specialty. From the short conversations I had with Dr. Sloan, sounds like he taught him well."

April nodded in agreement. "Dr. Sloan is a great teacher, especially for somebody who doesn't like to teach much," she added and laughed. "But Jackson was his special student, so he's really annoyed right now that he's suspended."

"His hand is okay?"

"Bruised, but it's fine," she answered. "He uhh, wants to know when you're leaving."

He sighed. "The plan was to stay until the end of the weekend. I'd like to speak with him before I do leave. That's why I'm here in the first place," he replied, slightly frowning. "He doesn't have to forgive me right away. I just want him to understand how sorry I am for not being a father to him."

"There is still a lot of anger he's dealing with, so he needs to get past that first," she suggested. "I'm doing my best to try to ease the situation-"

"This shouldn't be your problem to fix, April," he interrupted and chuckled. "Listen, I'm grateful you want to help patch things up between my son and I, but I don't want you to put yourself in a bad position with Jackson and Catherine. You and Jackson are going to be married soon. Why put that on the line?"

April bit her lower lip, unsure of how to answer. Would her fiancé seriously break off their engagement if he knew she had been communicating with his estranged father? Her insecurities were beginning to creep up on her.

"Because… I'm family," she timidly answered. "Catherine said so herself."

Harper Jr. smiled and pointed at April. "I like you. Jackson found himself a winner."

"Thank you," she shyly replied before she stood up. "I should get back to work. I hope your nose is fine now. Maybe I can stop by later to see how you're doing."

"That would be nice. See you later."

April left Harper Jr.'s hospital room only to find Catherine waiting for her by the nurses' station. The urologist had an unpleasant stare on her face and she knew she was in some sort of trouble. She thought about making a mad dash for the stairwell. There was no way Mama Avery could keep up with the high heels she always wore to work. However, she would have to face her eventually, so she figured getting it over with now would be less nerve wracking.

She casually approached Catherine and put on her most endearing smile. "Did you need me for something, Dr. Avery?"

Catherine tilted her glasses and pursed her lips. "Do you think I'm an idiot, honey? Just what do you think you're doing?"

"Uhh…" Her mouth stayed open, but she couldn't speak. Her eyes wandered anywhere but directly into Catherine's. She thought she might turn into stone in Medusa fashion. "I… don't think you're an idiot at all. Umm, I was visiting a patient."

"You were visiting my _ex-husband_," she corrected the trauma surgeon.

April cleared her throat. "Did- did Dr. Sloan tell you I've been visiting him?"

"No. I could hear your voice from down the hallway. You're very loud, baby," Catherine pointed out. "And I can recognize your voice from just about anywhere. I bet I can pick you out from thousands of shrieking teenagers at a Justin Bieber concert."

"Why would I be at a Justin Bieber concert?" she asked with a puzzled expression on her face.

Catherine raised her hand. "That is not the point, April. What have you been telling Harper in there?"

"Just the basics. Where I'm from, what college I went to-"

"I meant what have you been telling him about my baby boy?" she impatiently asked, closing her eyes and rubbing her temples. "Oh my Lord, you are giving me a headache, dear."

April grimaced. How was she going to excuse herself out of this mess? Even though she planned on not telling Jackson about her visits with Harper Jr., his mother certainly would. All she needed to do was take a deep breath and tell the truth.

"This may not be a popular opinion, but I think Harper should be at our wedding."

Catherine folded her arms, appearing skeptical and unamused by the suggestion. "And may I ask why you feel he should be a part of your special day?"

"Because he's Jackson's _father_?"

"Are you giving me attitude now?"

"No! No, of course not." The redhead frowned as she let out a sigh. "I know he hurt you badly when he left you, but he's a changed man. You probably don't want to believe a word I'm saying considering I've only known him for two days. He came here to reconcile with Jackson _and_ you. He didn't have to board a plane and fly across the country for the weekend, but he wanted to. All he wants is one opportunity to talk to you both without breaking another body part."

"Have you talked to Jackson about any of this?"

"I try to, but he won't let me." April gestured her hand towards Catherine. "You're his mother and he'll listen to you more than me because I know you and you never let him win most arguments between you two."

"That's true," she chuckled, then she returned to serious mode. "Now, I will talk to Jackson when I can, but you have to be honest with him, okay?"

April quickly nodded. "Oh, yes. I'm having lunch with him later, so it'll be sooner than later."

"Good." Catherine walked around April. "It's my turn to visit Harper now."

"Okay…" She wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing, but she wasn't going to stick around for it. She rushed down the hallway hoping their encounter would be drama free.

* * *

Jackson and April met in the hospital's parking lot like they planned. Jordan was all smiles when he saw his mother and didn't hesitate to reach for her from his car seat. They walked a block to the diner nearby for lunch. They settled in a booth in the corner. April let Jordan sit on her lap until it was time to eat, while Jackson sat beside her by the window. He was waiting for the right moment to ask her why she left their apartment in a hurry.

"Something dawned on me yesterday," she stated, beginning their conversation off on a better note. "We never celebrated our 1-year anniversary as a couple. I can't believe it slipped my mind."

"Huh, you're right," he chuckled. He couldn't believe he forgot about it either. "Damn. If I had remembered, I would've set up a nice, romantic date for us. Umm, when _is_ our anniversary?"

April slightly grimaced. "I was hoping you would know. I have no idea, to be honest."

"Uhh, I'm not sure either. When did you get your memory back?" Jackson softly laughed when she smirked at him in response. "Stupid question. How about we do this? We know our wedding date, so let's celebrate that instead. Better, right?"

She nodded approvingly. "Yes, much better. I think we've both been so busy that we tend to forget about the little things."

"Speaking of little things," he said, quickly pointing at Jordan. "You left so fast that Jordan was upset. He's got a set of lungs that can make anybody go deaf. Took me almost five minutes before he finally settled down."

"Oh, gosh. I didn't know he would… that hasn't happened before as far as I know," she guiltily replied. In a way, she felt a bit relieved she missed his cries. It would have broken her heart and she wouldn't have wanted to report to work. She kissed the top of their son's head. "I'm so sorry, baby. I know you miss spending time with me. I miss you too."

"Why _were_ you rushing to leave earlier?" he suspiciously asked. "You were calm and not in a hurry… then you quickly left after I asked about my dad. What's up with that?"

Holding back the truth from him became unbearable. It didn't matter to her how pissed he would be, but she needed to tell him. She promised Catherine she would, so the time had come and her heart began pounding fast.

"I visited your dad, okay? Yesterday and today," she admitted. April squeezed her eyes shut and sighed. She slowly opened one eye to see Jackson staring at her, though she had difficulty reading what he was thinking. "He… he's a very nice guy."

Jackson rubbed his eyes with his hand. "Oh, God," he groaned. He left his hand over his face. "What did you tell him about me?"

"They were good things, Jackson. He wants to meet Jordan. He's here until the end of the weekend, so maybe-"

"I thought I told you not to tell him about Jordan," he sternly said, trying to keep his voice down. The plastics fellow finally moved his hand away to look at his fiancée. "What are you trying to do? Just leave him alone, April. We don't need him, so stop pushing it."

"Listen, before you start making decisions for the both of us, you should give him a chance to speak first," she replied in frustration. "This thing you do, making me look like the bad person in all of this, I'm sick of it. Your mom knows I've been talking to Harper and even she had enough decency to visit him. Yes, you're banned from the hospital until your suspension's over, but he came here to see you, so give him a break."

"_Fifteen_ years, April. I hadn't seen him in fifteen years and he expects me to just welcome him with open arms?"

April shook her head. "No, he doesn't. You don't need to forgive him right away, but he wants you to at least understand how sorry he is," she insisted.

She felt awful for the both of them. For her, she hated it when he got pissed at her for simply trying to help. She knew his reaction wouldn't be good, but she still didn't appreciate it. For him, he was struggling to come to terms with Harper Jr.'s new life. It stung that he was happy being a father to a son who wasn't biologically his. It made him bitter and hateful just thinking about it.

His cell phone rang in his pocket, temporarily breaking the tension between him and April. His mother was calling, which only made him feel worse. He wasn't in the mood to chat with Mama Avery, but he answered her call anyway.

"Hello?" Jackson furrowed his eyebrows. "What? You did? Why?"

By the many facial expressions on his face, April sensed he would be moodier by the end of the conversation.

"But Mom-" He paused as he listened to Catherine lecture him on the other line. He ran his free hand along his shaved head and sighed. "Fine. Six o'clock tomorrow. Yes, we'll be there. Bye."

April waited for Jackson to hang up his cell phone. "What was that about?"

"Well, thanks to you, my mother set up dinner at Webber's with my dad tomorrow night," he bitterly said as he put away his cell phone. "Apparently, she bought whatever act he's pulling, so she agreed that he and I face each other without the violence."

_Thanks to you…_ Hearing that made her want to run to the women's restroom and cry. Occasionally, Jackson would forget how sensitive she could be and his insensitivity never helped. Instead, she kept her composure because she had Jordan on her lap and she didn't want to create a scene.

"I think… it'll be good for you," she softly said. "If your mother can tolerate being in the same room as your father, then you can too."

* * *

Lunch had gone sour after Catherine's call to Jackson, but it had already been going downhill prior to that. He barely spoke a word while they ate, unless he was talking to Jordan. April couldn't stand to look at him after he blamed her for the dinner they were required to attend at Richard's house. When she returned to the hospital she said her goodbyes to their baby boy. She and Jackson exchanged a glance at each other, then off she went.

She desperately needed to vent her frustrations to somebody. Alice was in class, so she couldn't call her. Lexie was occupied in the OR, so she was unavailable. Everybody she was somewhat close to was busy and there was only one person who would have to listen to her rants.

Alex had one more week in the hospital before he could return home. His incisions were healed, but his colon needed more time to fully recover. He was missing peds cases all over the place. Arizona would stop by every few hours to update him on patients that could have been his. It was annoying at first because it made him bitter that he wasn't working, but he appreciated the company of his boss.

April hadn't changed back into her scrubs yet. She stopped in the doorway and gently knocked on the open door. "Hey, can I come in?" she asked with a smile.

"Do you have food?" he replied with a smirk.

She held up a small plastic box with a slice of pie inside. "I have some apple pie. I was going to give it to Lexie, but she's in surgery, so it's up for grabs," she offered.

He waved her over. "Gimme." The peds fellow grinned after she handed over the apple pie. "Thanks. I'm tired of the crap they've been feeding me here. I can't wait to get out of this bed. Where'd you go?"

"Oh, just down the block with Jackson," she muttered.

"You sound pissed," he noted.

"I _am_ pissed."

"Talk to someone who cares," he quipped. Alex playfully rolled his eyes when she glared at him. "Okay, whatever. What are you pissed about? It better not be a sex thing. Otherwise, I don't want to know."

"It's not a sex thing," she retorted, folding her arms as she sat beside Alex's bed. "Jackson has daddy issues and he's taking it out on me for trying to help him."

Alex snickered. "Oh, right. Mer told me about him kicking his dad's ass," he recalled. "Yeah, I've been there."

"He didn't kick Harper's ass. He just broke his nose," she corrected him. "Anyway, Catherine scheduled a dinner at Webber's house with Jackson's dad tomorrow and he's blaming me for it happening. He can be such a jerk sometimes."

"Dude wasn't much of a father from what I've heard." He quickly shrugged. "Mine wasn't either. I understand where he's coming from. Wouldn't you be butt hurt if your pops abandoned you?"

Of course she would, but she grew up with a loving father. It seemed a lot of her peers had daddy issues over the years. Meredith and Lexie, Alex, Mark, Callie. Now she was dealing with Jackson's problems with Harper Jr., but it wasn't going as well as she hoped.

"Well, yeah, but I wasn't unlucky like you and Jackson. I'm thankful my father took care of my mom and my sisters. It's hard for me to fully understand what you two went through because I never experienced anything like that, but I'm trying," she explained with a frown on her face. "And I'm getting crapped on for trying."

"Face it. You get crapped on for almost everything you do," Alex bluntly replied, stuffing his mouth with pie. April rolled her eyes in response and he chuckled. "But seriously, it's not like we're not grateful for the little things you do for this hospital. Your checklist thing makes examinations easier for us. Maybe one day you'll be Chief because you already did the Chief Resident thing. You'd be an annoying Chief, but this place probably wouldn't burn down with you in charge – maybe."

April softly smiled. "I don't know if I should be flattered and offended at the same time."

Alex grinned. "Be glad I think that highly of you. I don't do it often with other people."

"So, what should I do about Jackson?"

"You honestly think I have good advice to give you?" He shrugged because he really didn't have any good advice to give her. What exactly was he supposed to say? It was one of those few moments when he wished he was a chick who knew what to tell her girlfriends. "Uhh, do whatever you feel is right? Dammit, I don't know, Kepner. Thanks for the pie, though."

April buried her face into her hands and groaned. Reed would've known what to tell her even if it wasn't what she wanted to hear. She needed her right now, but that obviously couldn't happen. Jackson was her best friend now and neither of them could stand each other at the moment.

* * *

Jackson was not looking forward to the small dinner party at all. He expected it to be two long hours of Harper Jr. bragging about his new life, which he couldn't care less about, and Catherine forcing him to care. April tried to remain as optimistic as possible, but her fiancé's bitter attitude made it difficult to do so. She hoped he wouldn't embarrass the both of them at the dinner table.

They arrived at Richard's house ten minutes early. The former Chief invited them inside and led them into the living room where Harper Jr. was waiting for them. He had been discharged earlier that morning. His nose was covered with a dressing and there was still bruising under his eyes. Catherine was in the kitchen making final preparations for dinner, but her boisterous voice greeted them anyway.

Harper Jr. stood up from his seat on the couch, smiling at the couple. Jackson had a scowl on his face, while April smiled brightly. "Good evening, you two," he politely said before his eyes focused on Jordan, who was being carried by his mother. "And you're Jordan."

"Jordan, this is your Grandpa Harper," April chirped. She could tell her son was a little frightened by Harper's unglamorous face when he buried his own against her shoulder. "Oh, don't be scared. He just has a boo boo on his face because of your daddy."

Jackson rolled his eyes. "We don't need to bring that up again, dear." He held up a brown paper bag. "By the way, Harper, I brought along some gifts for you. I hope you'll appreciate them."

April grimaced. "Jackson, don't."

Ignoring her plea, he opened the bag and pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels and Grey Goose. He set them on the coffee table while he smirked at Harper Jr. "From what I remember, you loved whiskey and vodka, so I got you both."

April apologetically glanced at Richard, who appeared just as uncomfortable as Harper Jr. "I'm so sorry. I told him not to bring those over," she insisted. Two former alcoholics were in his home and Jackson's ass move created even more tension between the two Avery's.

"Oh, well… I don't drink anymore," Harper Jr. declined.

"Are you sure? In fact, I'll drink along with you," Jackson offered.

Before tension could rise further, Catherine appeared in the living room. "How's everything going in-" She gasped at the sight of the bottles of alcohol sitting on the coffee table. "What are those doing in here? Only wine is allowed in this house for special occasions."

Jackson smirked at his mother. "I brought them. I thought Harper could enjoy a drink or two."

"I prefer Dad, Jackson," Harper Jr. irritably said.

"You're not my dad."

Catherine raised her hands in front of her chest to stop the bickering. "Enough! Dinner is ready, so please make yourselves comfortable in the dining room while I speak with my son alone," she instructed. She waited for the others to leave before she approached him with a stern look on her face. "What is the matter with you, Jackson?"

"I'm simply trying to make it feel like home in Boston, like old times," he explained and shook his head. "This is stupid, Mom. Why do we have to make nice with him? He left us, remember? We were fine without him."

"Listen, you may not like the idea of having your father being back in your life, but this isn't just about you. He adores April and he's pleased about finally meeting Jordan. I know you're still frustrated with him, but give him a chance, baby."

"You sound just like April now. Give him a chance, give him a chance. Why the hell should I?"

"Do _not_ do this tonight, young man," she ordered, pointing her finger at him. "Fake your smile, pretend to care. But don't humiliate us in front of your father. I raised you better than this."

While Mama Avery headed for the dining room, Jackson opened the bottle of Jack Daniels and took a swig. After another gulp, he took a deep breath and joined the rest for dinner. It was going to be a dreadful night for him.

* * *

Dinner surprisingly went along smoothly, mainly due to Jackson keeping quiet and letting everybody else talk. April and Catherine were the most engaged with Harper Jr., laughing at his jokes and keeping the conversation as intriguing as possible. Richard was more relaxed, though he shared words with the elder Avery as well. Jordan had grown comfortable around his grandfather, even sitting on his lap during part of their dinner. There were a few questions directed towards Jackson from Harper Jr., but he refused to respond to any of them. He wanted the night to be over fast.

He seemed to be in his own dream world when a question from April brought him back to reality.

"Harper, would you like to come to our wedding?" she happily asked.

Jackson clenched his jaw as he slowly turned his head towards his fiancée. "April, I think we reached our limit for the number of guests for the wedding."

"Oh, honey. That's ridiculous," Catherine scoffed. "I'm in charge of the guest list. We have plenty of spaces available."

Harper Jr. smiled and nodded. "I'd love to. I'm looking forward to it. I'll write down my address for you later, Catherine."

"That's it," the plastic surgeon angrily said as he stood up. He placed his hands on top of the dining table, staring down at his father, who sat across from him. "No. You cannot come to our wedding. I won't allow it. Tonight, I sucked it up for this dinner, but I gotta draw the line here. I don't want you there. You'll only ruin our day for us."

Catherine glared at her son. "Jackson Egbert-"

"Don't start, Mom." He quickly wore his jacket before he looked at April. "I'm done. We're leaving right now."

April closed her eyes and sighed. She slowly stood up, picking up Jordan from his high chair. "I… umm, thank you for dinner, Catherine. It was lovely and umm… I hope you'll still come to the wedding, Harper," she softly said before she left the dining room.

Jackson was already waiting for her by the front door. If there wasn't a baby in tow, he probably would have been driving like a lunatic. Their drive home would have been filled with April badgering him about his behavior, but she didn't want to fight in front of Jordan, especially after he fell asleep.

Once they arrived home, she carefully laid their baby boy in his crib. Sometime in the middle of dinner, she changed him into his pajamas knowing he would fall asleep in the car. She walked into the master bedroom where her fiancé was changing out of his clothes. He was yanking at the buttons of his shirt so hard that he nearly ripped them off.

"I can't believe you invited him to our wedding," he muttered, removing his shirt. "If he shows up, it'll be a disaster waiting to happen. Just wait and see."

The sounds of her trying to hold back her sobs caught his attention. Her back was facing him as she slowly unzipped her dress. She couldn't look at him after the way he had been acting towards Harper Jr. and herself.

"April, c'mon-"

She spun around, tears running down her face. "These past few days have been terrible. All- all I wanted to do was be a good fiancée and help you patch things up with your dad. What do I get in return? I get treated like crap by you."

"April-"

"I'm not finished yet!" she yelled. She was fuming more than ever, which seemed to surprise him. "Since your dad arrived I've been seeing this ugly side of you that I don't like. I've never seen you act so childish and disrespectful to anybody since I've known you. You- you keep blaming me for this like it's my fault."

Jackson sighed, feeling more remorseful by the second. "I didn't mean to. I was angry at _him_."

"So when you can't take it out on Harper, you take it out on me?" Tears continued to flow out of her eyes. She wasn't holding back her emotions anymore. "You have your own insecurities just like I do, but when you're afraid to deal with them you're a mean person. You're an _asshole_, Jackson. If this is what I have to go through every time you're having issues you're afraid to face, then why should I marry you?"

Whoa. April had stormed off to the bathroom before Jackson could respond and he certainly never expected that question to come out of her mouth. He was frozen, reluctant to chase after her. She needed her space, but he felt sick. Was she having doubts about marrying him? He loved her more than anything in the world. The last thing he wanted to do was push her away. He hadn't realized how much he hurt her until she told him, which made him feel worse. It wasn't often she called him on his crap. Usually, she let it slide, but this time he deserved it.

* * *

The following day at work was slow and dreadful for April. Unable to face Jackson after her outburst, she slept in the guest bedroom. Feeling deep regret about what she said to him, she practically cried herself to sleep. She snuck into their bedroom early in the morning to grab some clothes while he was still asleep. He was softly snoring away – on her side of the bed. Either he stirred a lot in his sleep or he missed sleeping next to her. She missed him too. Something about the guest bedroom still smelled like Alex. No matter how many times she Febrezed that room a part of their former roommate remained inside. She stopped trying to figure it out months ago.

They would talk after her shift, she decided. She hated being mad at Jackson for more than a day. He shared the same feelings. On the plus side, the last time they were pissed at each other it led to tons of makeup sex. He definitely wouldn't pass up sex with her.

But the day wasn't halfway over, so talk and sex with Jackson had to wait. She walked out of her patient's room to drop off their chart at the nurses' station. Nearby, the elevator doors opened and lo and behold, Barry Evans stepped out of it. Although he was assisted by a walker and walking at the pace of a sloth, April was surprised to see him back at the hospital.

She approached him knowing it would take centuries for him to reach her. "Barry, what are you doing here?"

"Monthly check up with Dr. Shepherd," he answered, smiling at her. "How are you?"

"I'm… doing fine," she timidly said. She gestured her hand towards his legs. "You're walking. Wow, that's… that's great for you."

Barry chuckled. "I'm like a freaking 80-year old with this walker, but yeah, I'm walking. My feet get tingly every once in a while, but I'm getting there," he noted. "You uhh… I was hoping I'd get a call from you just to chat."

April stared at him confused. "I don't have your number."

"I sent you flowers after I returned to Arizona. It was in the card. You didn't get them?"

"Flowers? I-" She thought back to the flowers Jackson gave her and groaned, slapping her forehead. "Jackson…"

"What about him?"

"Nothing. Nevermind," she said, waving her hand. "Anyway, I'm glad your recovery's moving along well."

"Do you want to get some dinner later?"

"Okay." The trauma surgeon's eyes widened after she realized what she had done. She had the tendency to speak before thinking and she didn't want to be rude by quickly retracting her answer. A friendly dinner. Nothing else would become of it. "Uhh… my shift ends at nine."

Barry nodded. "Do you want me to meet you somewhere or… should I wait for you? I'm doing some PT downstairs later, so I can wait."

April nervously laughed. "It's not even noon yet. You want to wait that long for me?"

"Took me years to tell you things I should've said in high school, so hours aren't gonna kill me," he assured her. Barry flashed a smile that made her legs feel weak just like when they were eighteen. "Meet you in the main lobby?"

"Yeah… we can do that," she shyly agreed and gently bit her lower lip. "I will see you later then."

"Mr. Evans, there you are," Derek called out as he walked towards the two. He firmly shook Barry's hand with a grin on his face. Removing his tumor was one of his proudest accomplishments. "It's nice to see you again. Glad to see you on your feet."

"It's nice to see you too, Dr. Shepherd." The quarterback nodded his head towards April. "Just catching up with Dr. Kepner here, but I'm ready for whatever you're gonna poke me with."

Derek shared a laugh with Barry as he escorted him down the hallway. April caught her high school classmate smiling at her once more and the guilt sunk in. Jackson was at home watching their son and she just planned a non-dating dinner date – but _not_ a date – with the guy he absolutely despised. He couldn't know about this. After the recent fights they had, he wouldn't take it well at all. She decided she wasn't going to tell him.

* * *

**Happy New Year! The drama is just building up ;)**


	10. Chapter 10

**First off, thank you so much for your reviews! I actually loved the fact that you guys were annoyed with April too. I wanted to make sure they both equally had flaws, so not just one person is to blame for their troubles. Anyway, this chapter isn't dramatic, but the following one is a biggie.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_It's not a date. It's not a date. It's not a date. I'm freaking engaged for crying out loud,_ April reminded herself in her mind. Since agreeing to have dinner with Barry she found herself distracted from her work, which made her feel even guiltier for not devoting her 100% effort with her patients. If it wasn't for her lunch break to clear her head, she may as well have killed one of them by prescribing the wrong medication or unknowingly providing the wrong dosage.

She normally didn't let her social life interfere with work, but this was almost an emergency for her. She needed guidance and support from someone who would understand. Who better than her baby sister? An urgent text from April forced Alice to visit her at Seattle Grace Mercy West while she didn't have class.

"So, where are we going again?" Alice asked curiously as she followed her sister down a hallway. April didn't answer, appearing flustered and in panic mode. They stopped in front of a large window just outside of the PT clinic. She spotted Barry inside and giggled like a young school girl. "Oh my gosh, is that... he's back?"

"Monthly check up with Shepherd," she replied unenthusiastically.

"Has he seen you yet?"

April slowly nodded. "Yes. He asked me out to dinner… and I said _yes_," she whispered. "What the hell is wrong with me? I don't know why I- you know I speak before I think. You know what'll happen if Jackson finds out?"

"Calm down, Apes. It's not like you're going on a date. It's just dinner… with a guy whose name you used to write a million times in your diary," she teased.

"You read my diary?!" the trauma fellow gasped.

Alice sheepishly grinned. "You didn't hide it well."

"I hid it underneath the loose floorboard under my bed. Nobody knew about that floorboard, not even Mom," April retorted, shooting a dirty look at her sister.

"Okay, okay. Kimmie saw you hiding it one day, so she and I would sneak into your room when you weren't home and read it," she confessed before quickly shrugging and smiling. "C'mon, all sisters do this. You should be looking back at this and laughing."

Instead, her older sister stared at her unamused. "I had very private and personal thoughts written in that diary."

"Which I don't even remember… well, except for-"

"I don't want to know," April interrupted, then she looked back at Barry, who was working with a physical therapist. "Anyway, can we return to the real problem here?"

Alice softly laughed. "Alright, I get it. You're worried Jackson will think you're cheating on him by having a _friendly_ dinner with Barry, but he should know you're not that type of woman. How was that dinner with his dad last night?" Like always, April told her everything, but she hadn't heard about the aftermath. Her sister frowned at her, shaking her head. "Not good, huh?"

"We had another fight. I said some things I shouldn't have said and I slept in the guest room," she glumly replied. "Jackson and I haven't talked since, but I feel terrible about last night. He probably thinks I'm having doubts about marrying him."

"What did you say?"

"I told him he's an asshole when he's insecure. Then I asked him why I should marry him if he's going to treat me like crap whenever he doesn't want to deal with his issues." April folded her arms and pouted. "I've never been so mad at him like that. I was a bitch, Alice."

The younger Kepner sighed. "Oh, April. It's okay to call him out sometimes. You can't be passive all of the time." She offered a hug and April rested her chin on her shoulder. "You and Jackson are going to be fine. Everybody fights. Mom and Dad had their spats too, but they're still strong and happily married."

"Umm… I invited his dad to the wedding."

"What?" Alice raised both of her eyebrows, surprised by her sister's move. "Jackson hates him, though. Why would you do that? He was pissed, huh? I'm sorry, but I'm going to be straightforward with you. That was a really dumb idea."

April groaned as she pulled away from Alice. "Yeah, I know that now!" She placed her hands on top of her head. "I just thought… there was a chance they could make up in time before the wedding."

"From what you told me, he hadn't been in Jackson's life in a _long_ time. You can't close your eyes, wish their bad history away and everything will be fine and dandy in an instant. It doesn't work that way. I know you have a big heart, but sometimes it might be a little too big for some people to handle," she lectured. "You're not seeing the big picture here. Step into his shoes for a minute. What if Dad left us when we were kids?"

"But he didn't, Alice. That's the problem. I don't want to play the 'what if' scenario because it never happened," she replied impatiently. "We're so different from each other, but that's why we work, right?"

Alice smiled at her older sister. "That certainly makes your relationship a lot more interesting. You two need to have a serious talk, alright? You'll both feel better when you do."

"I wanted to talk to him after I return home from my shift, but I'm meeting up with Barry now," the redhead answered, then she slapped her forehead. "I'm an idiot. Why did I agree to this?"

"Just because you're engaged it doesn't mean you can't have dinner with male friends."

"We're not even friends," April muttered. "We're basically acquaintances. I can just tell Barry wants more than that and it's making me uneasy."

"Well, he's a moron if he thinks you'll flat out leave Jackson for him." Alice chuckled. "Besides, Jackson is _way_ hotter and he's totally the perfect guy you described in your diary."

"Again with the diary!" she snapped.

"Sorry," she replied with a cheesy grin.

April sighed, trying to figure out a plan in her head. "Okay. I have an idea. I want Barry to know that this is nothing more than a casual dinner, so I need you to get me some clothes from my apartment. Umm, if Jackson asks, tell him I'm helping you with a class project and I wanted more comfortable clothes to wear."

Alice nodded. "What should I get?"

"My old Akron hoodie. It's navy blue and the lettering is half-faded. Also, some crappy jeans. I think I have one that's sort of ripped in the knee area. Oh! And my very old and almost falling apart tennis shoes."

"April, you still want to look decent not homeless," she quipped. "I'll get the hoodie, but not the other two. Why are you keeping tennis shoes that are falling apart anyway?"

"They were the shoes I wore during my intern year," April mumbled, feeling embarrassed. "They have sentimental value."

Alice laughed and gently squeezed April's shoulder. "Okay, fine. I'll go right now and be back soon."

"And you won't tell Jackson about the dinner?"

"I won't tell Jackson about the dinner," she repeated reassuringly. "Although, if you want my advice, you shouldn't hide this from him. If he somehow finds out, he'll take it the wrong way and assume the worst possible scenario. You can easily avoid the unnecessary drama if you just tell him."

"Thanks, but… I can't," she said, then she slightly smiled as she bit her lower lip. "Some secrets were meant to remain secrets."

* * *

Dressed in her old University of Akron hoodie, light denim jeans and a pair of black Converse Chuck's that she rarely wore, April finished changing out of her scrubs after her shift ended. She wanted to avoid showing any misleading signs that dinner with Barry was a date. She fixed her hair up in a ponytail and never bothered putting on makeup. All she used was a little bit of lip gloss because she always hated chapped lips.

He waited for her by the entrance to save them time. She could tell he was tired from PT, but he tried to hide it with the smile on his face. "Nice sweatshirt," he half-jokingly said. "So, where are we going?"

"Umm… there's a diner a block away from here," she suggested. It was casual. She wanted a non-romantic setting. "But I have my car, so you don't have to walk. A block is probably like five miles for you."

"Yeah, a car would be more convenient," he answered with a chuckle.

What normally took April less than a minute to reach her car took almost five, but she was understanding about it. Barry had always felt embarrassed about needing a walker to get around since he was able to stand again. He was slightly hunched over because his 6'4" frame towered over his walker. She matched his pace while trying to keep a conversation going. Complete silence was too awkward.

She made the quick drive down the block. Fortunately, she found a parking space on the street directly in front of the diner, so they weren't forced to walk far. Their presence – or more like Barry's – alerted a few customers inside. They obviously knew who he was based on the remorseful expressions on their faces. Pretty much everybody in the NFL fan world felt sorry for the guy. They all assumed his professional career was over even if he made a full recovery. Most teams tended to avoid injury prone players and some experts believed it was time for him to retire.

Barry wanted to avoid as much attention as possible, so he and April sat in a booth located farthest in the back. He stretched his arms up and groaned. "I really wish they'd give me a taller walker. This one's not doing any favors for my back."

April softly laughed. "I can tell," she said as she skimmed the menu. "Umm, how was PT?"

"Torture," he muttered. "Dr. Shepherd says my recovery still has a long way to go. Something about nerves taking a while to heal. Could take a few more weeks or months depending on how my body responds."

"Just stay positive and you'll be fine," she replied, trying to motivate him. Her eyes were on the menu the entire time until a waitress appeared to take their orders.

"You went to our high school's 10-year reunion a few years ago, right?" he asked after the waitress left.

She nodded. "I did. It was… _interesting_ to see how much certain people have changed. You would've been shocked for sure. Do you even keep in touch with any of them?"

"I tried to, but I'd lose track of them," he admitted. Barry lightly tapped his fingers against the table. "Was Steven Wallace there?" He was one of his high school teammates.

"Yes. He was bald and overweight," she said and chuckled. "Your entire close-knit group was there – except for you, of course. Umm… Daryl looked about the same, married Lisa Fenton."

Barry raised both of his eyebrows. "Lisa Fenton, the fat chick who always had a Hershey's bar in the front pocket of her backpack?"

April smirked at the quarterback. "She's not fat anymore. And you know what? They're happy with two kids. You guys were so freaking shallow back then," she mentioned. "Oh, and another thing. Carly Abbott, the cheerleader you dated junior year is a lesbian now and very… butch."

Barry suddenly burst into laughter. "You're kidding me." He watched her shake her head and even she started laughing along with him. "I… don't know what to say, but… holy shit."

"My thoughts exactly when I saw her name tag. Anyway, the reunion was actually enjoyable. People seemed to be surprised that I lost the glasses and I'm a doctor. You would've been the main attraction for sure if you showed up."

"That's precisely why I didn't go." He flashed a half-smile. "I didn't want the attention on me when there were probably other people with bigger accomplishments who deserved it more. Like you, for example. I think being a surgeon is a hundred times better than my profession."

She shook her head, shyly smiling. "I definitely wasn't the person everybody crowded around. Remember Zach Greenfield? He was in the marching band and a bigger science nerd than me."

"I kind of do. I may have given him a wedgie or two," he quipped.

"Well, he invented some microchip that government officials use to track criminals or something like that. He's a millionaire because of it, so people at the reunion went gaga over him."

Barry grinned. "I still think being a surgeon is cooler."

"You're just saying that because you've had a nerd crush on me for whatever number of years you decided to hide it," she blurted out. April's eyes darted down at the crumpled napkin she had been fidgeting with. "I mean… that's why you sent flowers, right? I don't get flowers often. Jackson never did something like that, but he tried to pull it off by stealing yours."

"No offense, but your fiancé is sort of a dick."

"He acts like one occasionally, but he's _not_ a dick," she replied defensively and sighed. "As a matter of fact, he's the sweetest man I've ever met. Since I met him during my first year of residency, he's always been the guy who defends me when other people are giving me crap. We literally had nothing in common when we met, but he wasn't afraid to be seen with a geek like me."

Barry partially grimaced. "I'm sorry. I don't know him well, so I shouldn't be talking crap about him." He ran his fingers through his dirty blonde hair. "I gotta be honest with you. I had a plan for tonight. The plan was to convince you to give me a chance even though you're engaged to Jackson, but I'm not going to do that anymore. I respect your feelings and I don't want to mess with them. I want to be friends, though."

His confession didn't surprise April. He had been hinting at it since his first visit at the hospital. She wasn't stupid. He was charming, she couldn't deny that, but he was her past and Jackson was her present.

"You know I was never going to even consider leaving Jackson. I'm not that person. You should know that."

"Yes, I know you're the loyal kind." He quickly shrugged and forced himself to laugh. "But it's better to try than not try at all. That's what my coaches always told me."

"Maybe you should've tried telling me the truth in high school. Things would've been different," she said suggestively. "Or maybe not. I always believe things happen for a reason. I think I was meant to meet Jackson and marry him."

"I said this before and I'll say it again – he's a lucky man."

April smiled as she thought about her fiancé. She was looking forward to seeing him at home. Just bringing up his name made her miss him even more. "I'm pretty sure we're both equally lucky."

* * *

It was a friendly dinner. It literally was because April and Barry enjoyed reminiscing about high school, talking about their former classmates and incidents like their senior class prank. A crane was needed to physically remove cows from the roof of their school because it was known that cows can be led up stairs, but not down. Perhaps confessing his previous intentions helped break the tension. They were now friends and nothing more than that.

April never brought up her recent fights with Jackson. Barry didn't need to know about that. They weren't close enough for him to know that much about her relationship with the plastic surgeon. She drove him to his hotel after dinner before she returned to her apartment.

Jackson was watching TV in the living room. Normally, he would turn around and greet her, but he remained still on the couch. When Alice showed up to retrieve some clothes for April she told him what she was supposed to say. That didn't stop him from assuming she was spending the night at her sister's instead of coming home.

She slowly approached him hoping he wasn't asleep, so they could talk. On the coffee table were an almost empty bottle of Jack Daniels and a small glass. He had been drinking after he put Jordan to bed. She stood in front of him and he drowsily looked up at her, visibly surprised to see her.

"Hey," he drunkenly slurred. "I thawed… you're sleepin' at Al's."

"Umm, no. Never planned on it." She sighed as he rubbed his eyes. "Have you… spoken to your dad today?"

"Gimme a break," he chuckled and patted his thighs. "Wanna sit down?"

_Oh, screw it_, she thought to herself. Jackson was sitting on the couch half-naked and drunk. If she tried to talk to him, he wouldn't remember the conversation in the morning. Plus, drunk Jackson was hot. She dropped her purse onto the floor before she straddled his lap. He smugly grinned at her, placing his hands on her hips.

"You're drunk, but I love you anyway," she softly said.

"So… we're still gettin' murried, yeah?" he asked while his hands traveled underneath her hoodie.

His hands were warm against her back and his touch made her shiver. "Of course we are." She pushed up her hooded sweatshirt, tossing it aside after she removed it. She had a tank top on, which she typically wore underneath her scrubs, but it showed off enough cleavage. He suddenly shifted on the couch, laying her on her back as he climbed on top of her.

He sloppily kissed her lips, chin and neck. Sloppy kisses everywhere, but she found herself to be quite aroused by his sloppiness. She closed her eyes and tried to relax when he moved down to her chest. Everything was going fine until she felt his face sink into her cleavage.

"Jackson?" She lifted her head up to find him snoozing away in her cleavage. She lightly nudged his shoulder to wake him up, but he continued to sleep. Laying her head back down on the couch cushion, she gently rubbed the back of his head with her fingertips and quietly laughed to herself. There was no way she could drag him into their bedroom. She was too tired to begin with, so she decided to fall asleep with his face pressed against her chest. They could laugh about it in the morning.

* * *

His head was pounding when he woke up on the couch. Jackson grimaced and closed his eyes as some light shined on his face from the slits of the blinds. A specific smell caught his attention, though. It was coming from the kitchen, which meant April was home and cooking breakfast. She had the day off, so she decided to make her hungover fiancé homemade food.

The sounds of Jordan's gibberish mixed with audible words echoed in the living room. He was sitting in his high chair where April could see him from the kitchen. She was speaking too, having a conversation with their son even though half of it didn't make much sense. It kept the bouncy 13-month old entertained and it was comforting for him to know his mama was nearby.

Slowly sitting up on the couch, Jackson groaned and immediately grabbed his head. "Son of a…"

"Dum-da-ba-ba-da-pftt," Jordan's baby voice chirped as he slapped the table attached to his high chair with his hands.

"What a beautiful song, baby," April called out from the kitchen using her baby voice. She walked into the living room with a stack of newly made banana pancakes. She noticed Jackson awake on the couch as she set the plate on the dining table. "Hungry?"

Jackson finally pushed himself up from the couch and gingerly approached April. He continued to grab his head as it felt like a hammer was pounding against it. "I'll take anything to get rid of this hangover."

"Which is why I made banana pancakes. Loaded with potassium just for you," she answered, gently forcing him to sit down. She saved him some time by serving him pancakes onto his plate. "You were knocked out last night."

"I barely remember it," he muttered. "I thought you were staying at Alice's last night."

The redhead shook her head as she sat beside him. "No, I was always going to come home. I don't know why you would assume that." She placed her hand against his cheek, tilting his head up so he would look at her. "About the other night – I'm sorry. What I said… I do want to marry you. I'm not having doubts if that's what you're thinking."

He reached up and took her hand. "I should apologize too. You were right about me, though. I'm not good at handling my problems rationally and I'm sorry," he admitted before he kissed the back of her hand. "My mom gave me the longest lecture ever yesterday while you were at work. Said I needed to apologize to you, Webber and my dad. I've done the first two, but… I just can't talk to my dad. I'm sorry, but it's not as easy as you might think."

It was about time she gave up on trying to fix their broken relationship, especially since it was beginning to take a toll on their own. "Okay. That's fine," she assured him. "I shouldn't have pushed you so much to make peace with him. I'm sorry for that too. Just forgive him when you're ready to, but uhh… the wedding…"

"My mom already mailed out an invitation, so I don't have much choice but to see him there," he bitterly said. Jackson picked up his fork and started eating his pancakes. "I can't believe I drank that much."

"Why did you?" she asked while she cut up Jordan's pancakes into smaller pieces.

"I was frustrated and upset because we weren't talking. And what you asked me that night forced me to think about how selfish and stupid I've been acting towards you," he added. "Plus, I thought you weren't coming home, so sleeping in our bed alone again was a depressing thought."

"If this makes you feel better, I was miserable too. Actually, I was prepared to sit down and talk with you last night, but you were drunk and I thought getting frisky was a better option. However," she stopped to smirk at him. "You fell asleep on my boobs."

Jackson laughed, but he quickly grimaced as his head throbbed again. "I fell asleep on top of you?"

"And your face was snuggled up in my cleavage," she replied with a giggle. "But we didn't get far enough to really do anything, so I just slept with you on the couch and squirmed out from underneath you when I woke up."

He smiled to himself as he chewed his food. "Falling asleep in your cleavage. Now that's something I've never done before. I'm glad we're engaged. Otherwise, I would be a nasty pig like Alex."

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "It's okay. I didn't mind. You were my blanket for the night."

"That's good to know," he proudly replied. "So, got any plans for today?"

"Well, Lexie's off too and she wants me to help her shop for maternity clothes. This also gives me the opportunity to get my Christmas shopping out of the way."

Jackson smirked at April. "Thanksgiving hasn't even passed yet. Christmas shopping already? You don't want to wait for Black Friday when prices go down?"

"The mall is a zoo on Black Friday. Anyway, I always get my Christmas shopping out of the way before Thanksgiving. I have a long list of people to shop for." She grinned at him. "You should come with us, so you don't procrastinate later. I think Mark is off too, so it's perfect. You two can do your thing and Lexie and I will do ours."

"Yeah, okay. I'll tag along," he accepted her offer. "I just need to get rid of this hangover first."

"Don't even worry about that. We're doctors, Jackson. We know how to get rid of them fast."

* * *

"Look at these pants!" Lexie exclaimed as she stepped out of a dressing room wearing a pair of black maternity pants. She pulled the elastic waistband in front of her to show April the extra space available. "I look like I'm posing for a Subway commercial. I'm going to be a whale soon!"

"But a very beautiful whale," April pointed out. She received a glare from Lexie, forcing her to laugh. The fifth year resident had accepted her pregnancy and the twins, but she occasionally had her share of negativity and mood swings. "Lexie, have some fun with this. Besides, stress isn't good for the twins."

Lexie sighed as she returned to her dressing room. "I'm trying to be as optimistic as possible, but I can't stop worrying about specific things like the weight I'm going to gain putting more stress on my right leg. I'm gonna be hobbling around the hospital until my maternity leave," she explained while she changed pants. "And I worry I won't fit into my bridesmaid dress. What if I burst out of it during your wedding? How embarrassing will that be?"

"Don't even worry about that. I told you we'll make adjustments if our estimations for your dress aren't right." She decided to change the subject to distract her friend's worries about her pregnancy. "Uhh, did you see Barry at the hospital yesterday?"

"Yes, I did," she answered and opened the dressing room door. "Did you?"

April nodded. "I had dinner with him last night," she whispered, although Jackson and Mark weren't anywhere near where they were. She still felt compelled to keep her voice down after she realized how loud her voice could be.

Lexie's mouth dropped open, not even caring that the pants she was trying on were resting around her ankles. "You and Barry? Was it like a-"

"It wasn't a date," the trauma surgeon quickly answered. "Just dinner, but Jackson doesn't know about it and I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell Mark because I know he'll tell him no matter what he says."

"Okay, I won't," she promised, then she grinned widely. "But I want the details. You can't tell me this and then leave me wondering what happened between you two."

"You make it sound like I did more than eat dinner with him," she replied, rolling her eyes. "Barry did admit to me that he wanted to steal me away from Jackson. Just because Jackson and I had been fighting it doesn't mean I love him any less."

Lexie raised an eyebrow. "You two are fighting? About what?"

April shook her head. "It's nothing anymore. It was about his problems with Harper and we're past it. Everything's fine, I promise," she assured her. She played with her engagement ring, twisting it back and forth on her finger. "Remember that one time Jackson gave me flowers? Turns out they were originally from Barry. He doesn't know that I know."

Lexie giggled. "Well, that makes more sense. Jackson never gave me flowers in the past… then again, neither has Mark. I don't think they're flower people." She dismissively waved her hand. "Whatever. It's not a big deal, April."

"I know, but it's annoying when he's jealous. He has no reason to be. I suppose I'll let it slide for now."

* * *

Meanwhile, Jackson and Mark were strolling through the mall as they pushed their babies' strollers. Jordan fell asleep in his stroller, while Sofia waved and said, "Hi", to random strangers who gushed at their cuteness. They weren't into shopping for Christmas as much as April and Lexie were. Although they made a few attempts to search for presents, the two plastic surgeons grew bored quickly and decided to walk around until their significant others were finished.

There was one week left to go in Jackson's suspension. Mark gave him a mega update on everything happening at the hospital. He had been busier than usual because he didn't trust his other fellow and his residents with his patients. With Jackson around, his workload was less, but without him he took over most of the cases.

"I swear to God, Paulson is going to destroy my career. The man's cuts are crappy and definitely not as clean as your work," the Head of Plastics complained. "I double check his work, sometimes triple check. My patients deserve one of the best. He's not it."

Jackson smiled at the fact that his superior thought he was one of the best plastic surgeons he knows. And this was coming from a man who always believed nobody was better than or as good as him. "I'll be back after Thanksgiving. You can last another week without me."

"I don't think so," he replied with a grimace. "I want you back the moment your suspension's over. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah," he answered, rolling his eyes.

"How was bonding time with Daddy Avery?"

"Please, bonding time is what I do with Jordan," he scoffed. "Dinner was a disaster. April invited my dad to the wedding. I got fed up and we bailed early. Then we got into a fight, she called me an asshole, but uhh… we're fine now."

Mark smirked at his student. "Guess who showed up at the hospital yesterday?" Jackson simply shrugged in response. "Your favorite quarterback, Barry Evans."

"Wonderful," Jackson groaned. That name was as irritating to hear as Harper Avery Jr. "Why was that douche there?"

"Monthly post-op follow up with Derek. No idea if he ran into April, though." He softly chuckled. "Man, that guy is huge. He's using his legs again, but he needs a walker to get around. It's pretty damn hilarious."

"How long is he here?"

"Beats me. I think he was only here for his appointment."

"What if April did see him?" Jackson asked, growing concerned. He wasn't sure why he was paranoid again, but he still didn't trust Barry around April. "We just had a fight. What if she… she's not that type of person, but what if-"

"No freakin' way," Mark cut him off before he could finish his question and laughed. "You think she'd screw a dude with a walker?"

Jackson lightly slapped Mark's chest with the back of his hand. "I'm serious. Couples can do stupid things after a fight. For example, I was wasted last night at home. Even though April came home, I apparently fell asleep in her cleavage when we were about to have sex. I was _that_ drunk."

Mark started laughing again. "You fell asleep in her cleavage? Loser," he teased. He patted Jackson's shoulder when the plastics fellow frowned. He figured he was slowly becoming paranoid about Barry and April again. "Relax, Avery. April probably didn't even see him."

"I hope not," he muttered. The thought of April and Barry interacting made him sick. He didn't care if they were just friends. He still hated that guy.

* * *

**Monday's update has the Avery's and Kepner's getting together for Thanksgiving. Warning: it's not happy.**

**Also, I have a question for y'all and I'd appreciate some feedback. How would you feel about an AK2 story? I'm planning on writing an AK2 story that takes place post-B&H. I wouldn't necessarily call it a sequel, but it'll occur about 4 or 5 years later and Jackson's dead *tear*. I really adore April and Alex's awkward friendship and want to explore that more. Plus, I shipped them first long before Japril, so I have a soft side for them. There will be plenty of Jackson mentions as well. I'm considering a one-shot or possible multichapter if people are interested. Please let me know what you think :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you all very much for your feedback to my question! I know a dead Jackson is a depressing thing to think about, but that doesn't mean I'll stop writing Japril stories. He will very much be alive in Japril world and dead in AK2 world just this once. Again, I don't want to call it a sequel. Think of it as a "What if" scenario. Also, it's nice to see other AK2 supporters out there. Whether it's a friendship or romance, I adore them just as much as Japril.**

**So this one's a biggie. I had a hard time writing this one and literally felt bad about it when I finished. Enjoy!**

* * *

Thanksgiving arrived and both Jackson and April knew it was going to be a madhouse at Richard's home. Parents, siblings, in-laws, hyper children all under one roof – two families, two different lifestyles. They could only hope and pray the holiday weekend would go well, but Jackson had his doubts. His family never celebrated a holiday without some drama erupting.

Members of the Avery and Kepner families began trickling into Seattle at the beginning of the week. Big Joe and Karen were staying with Jackson and April at their apartment. Alice allowed Kimmie and Maya to settle in at her place. Kimmie's husband, Tom, chose to spend Thanksgiving with his own family, to her dismay. April was fine with it because their father despised him anyway. His arrogance would have created a rift between them for sure. Plus, Samantha and Joslyn already had enough arrogance to go around. Libby and her family resided in a hotel that April voluntarily paid for. Of course, it wasn't without a snarky comment about treating her older sister like a charity case.

Even though they came from different parts of the country, Jackson's side flew in the night before. Samantha and Joslyn wanted to squeeze in as much OR time as possible because they would be in town for the next few days. Harper Sr. just loved coming in at the last minute. He suspected Catherine hadn't mentioned Harper Jr. at all to his siblings and grandfather since they never called to annoy him about their recent encounters or his suspension from work. They were better off not knowing. The two Harper's hadn't spoken to each other since the younger Avery walked out of his job at Mass Gen. One tiny blurb of his father's existence and Thanksgiving would be ruined in an instant.

The Webber residence was loud and full of chatter. Catherine and Karen were in the kitchen preparing the food. April would occasionally drop by to help, but they would shoo her away to let her relax for once. The Avery sisters segregated themselves from the Kepner sisters, though they mingled with April and Alice because of their medical ties. Harper Sr. was in deep conversation with Richard, while Big Joe forced himself to make nice with Libby's husband, Carl.

Jackson walked by the staircase where one of Libby's twin daughters was sliding down the banister on her stomach. He caught her just before she would have fallen onto the floor. "Whoa there, Kayla… or umm, Melissa," he awkwardly said. Despite the number of times April told him which twin was which, he still couldn't tell the identical sisters apart even though they were wearing different outfits.

"I'm Melissa," the 8-year old retorted, scrunching her nose as she tried to wiggle out of his arms. "I'm gonna tell Auntie April that you can't tell me and my sister apart. Then she's not gonna marry you anymore."

"No, I'm sure she'll still marry me. Just a small mistake." He smiled as he set her on the floor. "No more sliding down the banister, okay? It's dangerous. Your Aunt April really doesn't want to take anybody to the hospital today."

"There aren't any toys to play with, Uncle Jackson. The only toys here are Jordan's and I don't play with baby toys," she complained, then she grinned as she tugged on his hand. "I wanna play horsey ride! You're the horse and I'm the cowgirl."

While he personally didn't want to crawl around and potentially injure his hands and knees on the hardwood floor, Jackson figured it was a better option than watching her slide down the banister again. He thought April would think it was adorable.

He knelt down, placing his hands flat on the floor. "Alright. Giddy up, kid." The plastic surgery softly grunted after Melissa practically jumped onto his back. He would feel the after effect later on that night. He crawled into the living room as she held on to the back of his sweater.

Samantha snickered at the sight of her baby brother pretending to be a horse. "Oh my gosh, what a nerd," she joked to Joslyn. "He is going to be sore before the day is over."

"I think it's sweet. I never expected Jackie to be this interested in kids, but it works for him," Joslyn replied and chuckled. "Someone had to give Mom grandkids. Probably not the way she wanted it to happen. Only our brother would be involved in an unplanned pregnancy."

"But he's forgiven. April is a keeper and Jordan is as cute as a button." Samantha eyed Libby and Kimmie, who were checking out Jackson's ass as he turned the corner and crawled out of the living room. "Look at those two. Can they be any trashier?"

Joslyn playfully slapped her sister's arm. "Oh, don't be so cruel. Not everybody grew up privileged like us."

On the opposite side of the living room, Libby and Kimmie noticed the pair of sisters glancing at them. They knew what they were doing and they hated being judged by the upper class.

"There they go again, talking shit about us like we don't know," Libby muttered. She sipped her glass of wine and rolled her eyes. "I like Jackson. I even like Catherine, but I'm _not_ looking forward to being in-laws with those two snobs."

Kimmie nodded in agreement. "And I swear, they think we're losers because we grew up on a farm and not in some big, fancy home." She turned her attention to the sounds of Jordan crying on the floor. Maya and Mason were fighting over Benny and ripped his arms off. "Oh no! Kids, what have you done?"

Being the only baby in the house, both Jackson and April sprinted into the living room. They could recognize their son's cries from anywhere. The two of them gasped as they looked down at the armless stuffed tiger. Benny was Jordan's first toy and best friend. He kept him company in the NICU. They brought Benny everywhere with them because of how attached he was to the fluffy animal.

"It's okay, kids. I'm sure it was an accident," April said as she picked up the tiger and its two arms. "I can sew him up and he'll be fine."

Jackson picked up their baby boy and held him against his shoulder. "You're alright, buddy. Benny just has a boo boo," he comforted him, kissing his head. "Mommy will fix him."

April kissed Jordan's cheek, then she gently rubbed his back. "Aww, Maya and Mason didn't mean to hurt Benny. I'm sure they're very sorry," she cooed before she looked at her niece and nephew. "Can you tell Jordan you're sorry?"

"Sowee, Johdun," the 4-year old and 5-year old said in unison.

Jackson started tossing Jordan up in the air and catching him. It was a technique that managed to calm him down and change the sounds of cries to giggles. April hated it. She worried their baby would slip through his hands and land on the floor instead.

As always, it worked. Jordan seemed to already forget his stuffed tiger was injured and giggled loudly. April forced herself to smile, but actually, she wanted to scold her fiancé like she normally did when he played that game with him.

"Is the tiguh gonna die?" Maya asked curiously.

"Nope. He'll be just fine," she answered cheerfully. "Do you two want to help me put him back together?"

Both children jumped up and down as they excitedly agreed. April led them out of the living room, while Jackson continued to calm down Jordan. He stopped tossing him in the air when he appeared to be bubbly again and kissed his forehead.

"Jackson," Samantha called out, waving her arm at him. She waited for him to approach her and Joslyn before she lowered her voice to a whisper. "You know, April's sisters were checking you out earlier."

"They always do," he replied and shrugged. "Whatever. I'm used to it. April constantly nags them about it, but they don't listen to her. They hardly ever do."

"Well, that's a shame," Joslyn added, shaking her head. "At least you're marrying the right Kepner. Alice isn't so bad either since she's working to be a surgeon like us. What are those other two doing with their lives?"

"If you have something to say, then just say it," Libby retorted from across the living room. While Kimmie attempted to stop her from confronting them, she approached the Avery siblings with a scowl on her face. "Look, we know we didn't grow up in a wealthy area like you guys, but quit with the crap talk. It's people like you that make me sick."

Samantha placed her hand against her chest. "I beg your pardon?"

"Am I speaking another language to you?"

Jackson stepped in between his sisters and Libby. "Stop it, you guys. This is supposed to be a stress free day for everybody, so can we not fight? Our moms are working really hard in the kitchen. Let's not ruin it for them."

Libby smirked at the plastics fellow. "I wish April still crushed on Barry Evans. Maybe something would have came out of their little dinner date last week and she wouldn't have to marry into this family," she sneered and folded her arms. "At least he understands where we come from."

He was taken aback by her comments. There was no mention of Barry from April whatsoever and he had just learned that they met up without him knowing. Maybe he shouldn't make a big deal out of it. He did trust her, but there was always the possibility something happened. She did lie to him after all. "April had dinner with Barry?"

"That's what Alice told me," she replied before walking away.

"Who in the world is Barry Evans?" Joslyn demanded. "Oh my gosh, is she cheating on you?"

"Shut it, Jos." Jackson handed Jordan to Samantha. "Watch him, please."

He left the living room to search for April. She was in Richard's office reattaching one of Benny's arms while Maya and Mason watched. He stopped in the doorway and cleared his throat. "Uhh… Maya, Mason. Your Grandma Karen wants you two to help her in the kitchen. Why don't you go see what she wants help with?"

The little children scurried out of the office, screaming out for their grandmother. Jackson walked inside and closed the door behind him. He wanted to get right to the point, no fluffy build up was necessary. "You had dinner with Barry Evans?"

April set Benny on the desk and sighed. "Who told you that?"

"Libby," he replied, clenching his jaw. "So… were you never going to tell me this happened?"

She desperately wanted to punch Libby in the face for blabbing. She also wanted to punch herself for not reminding Alice to keep it a secret from their two sisters.

"Jackson, we weren't talking and it was just dinner – as friends. I thought if I told you, you'd be upset over nothing as usual," she explained. "And you were drunk when I came home. Who knows what kind of conclusions you would've jumped to if you knew?"

"I still should've known about it. If it's not a big deal, then why would you lie to me and pretend nothing happened? You don't keep a friendly dinner a secret if nothing happened," he insinuated.

"Are you trying to say that I cheated on you? Because I so did not." She pointed her finger at Jackson. "And I know about the flowers. I really don't understand why you're so jealous of Barry. He shouldn't even be a threat to you."

Jackson rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm not the one sneaking around with him, so sorry for being paranoid."

"It was just dinner!" April walked towards him feeling just as frustrated as he was. "Is this how you're going to act when I'm having a friendly lunch or dinner with every male friend? You don't see me freaking out whenever one of the female interns tries to flirt with you at work because I know you don't look at them in that way. Can we not do this today?"

"Fine," he murmured as he opened the door. "Whatever."

The trauma surgeon rolled her eyes after Jackson left her alone in the office. Instead of following him, she returned to the desk to finish stitching up Benny. She wanted Thanksgiving to be full of happy times because that was how her family always celebrated it when she was growing up in Moline. Throw in the dysfunctional Avery's and happy times were hard to come by.

* * *

All of the adults were gathered at the large table in the dining room, while the children – except for Jordan, who was sitting in his high chair in between Jackson and April – were seated at a smaller table in the corner. The table was decorated with food prepared by Catherine and Karen. Both of them used their own recipes, from side dishes to desserts for later. There were two turkeys just to be on the safe side and non-meat dishes for Kimmie, who was a vegan.

The Avery's were seated on one half and the Kepner's on the other. It wasn't a surprise that each family had their own tradition. The Avery's would jump into eating as soon as the food was ready, but this time they waited when Big Joe suggested they pray first. Even though Jackson and his family were Christians, they hadn't practiced anything religious since he was baptized. None of them were big time church goers, but April occasionally was able to drag him along with Jordan if he was free on Sunday's.

Holding hands, everyone thought Joe would lead the prayer, but instead he asked Jackson to. He felt uncomfortable doing it, especially after his argument with April. He had been moody since then.

"Uhh… thanks, God, for uhh… this meal we're about to eat and uhh…" He cleared his throat. He wasn't sure what else to say. "Thanks for not killing April twice in about a year and letting me knock her up-"

April kicked her fiancé's shin, slightly glaring at him. "Amen!" She looked at their family members and forced herself to smile. "Amen. Thank you, Jackson."

Samantha glanced at her brother with a smirk on her face. "Imbecile," she mouthed to him when they made eye contact. He rolled his eyes in response, eliciting a grin from her.

Everybody began passing around the food and serving themselves. Richard cut the turkey, while Big Joe sliced the glazed ham. Small conversations took place at the dining table. Alice was sitting beside Joslyn's husband, Vince, to learn more about neurosurgery. The children were the loudest in the corner. Samantha and Joslyn were having a deep conversation about their latest successful surgeries. Jackson and April spoke, but barely to each other.

"How's the plastic surgery working for ya, Jackson?" Harper Sr. asked inquisitively. "I haven't heard from you in about a month or so. Anything you'd like to brag about?"

"Uhh, I don't think discussing surgeries at the dinner table is appropriate," he replied as he slapped some mashed potatoes onto his plate. "Not everyone here wants to hear about that while we're eating."

"Ah, yes. There are definitely some people who can't stomach what we do," Samantha suggested as her eyes scanned across the table at Libby and Kimmie.

Kimmie ignored her comment and looked at April. "How's Barry?"

April slowly shrugged. "Fine, I guess," she muttered. She knew how much his name alone bothered Jackson. She wanted to pounce on her sister for bringing him up. "Walking again. No big deal."

"And again, who is this Barry character?" Joslyn joined the conversation. She knew little about football, let alone anything sports related unless Jackson was involved. "Is he an old boyfriend, April?"

Big Joe had a look of disgust on his face. "That man had zero respect for her. Definitely not an old boyfriend."

A small smile formed at the corner of Jackson's lips. He appreciated his future father-in-law more than ever because they shared the same amount of hatred for Barry. "He's a quarterback in the NFL. The guy's past his prime, though."

"Oh, Mother told me your hospital had some celebrity make an emergency visit," Samantha chimed in before she gestured her hand towards her husband, David. "I probably shouldn't be talking about this, but David here performed a secret surgery on Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook. He had a brain tumor, but it was benign."

"And you just blew the whole concept of HIPAA. Way to keep his identity a secret, sis," he replied, rolling his eyes.

"Who in this room is going to spread the word? Nobody here is a blabbermouth, am I right?"

Libby was quick to notice the eldest Avery sibling staring at her and Kimmie again. "Will you stop looking at us like we're disobedient children?" she snapped, then she looked at April. "I swear, one more snarky comment from one of them and I'm going to claw her eyes out."

"Libby, dear, don't make a scene today," Karen politely demanded.

"Unbelievable," she groaned. "You're taking their side over your own daughter? Has April even bothered to ask you to help plan her wedding? She's been making plans with Catherine and freeloading off her money."

"Who are you calling a freeloader?" April bantered, shooting a glare at her older sister. "Mom and I have spoken to each other about the wedding. Just because she hasn't been around physically to help it doesn't mean I haven't included her."

"Who are you kidding, April?" Kimmie scoffed. "You know you would never be good enough for Jackson if you weren't a surgeon. You'd be a nobody without the scholarship that sent you to Akron. Consider yourself a lucky woman."

Joslyn picked up her wine glass. "Sounds like somebody's a bit jealous of her sister's success," she mumbled before she sipped her beverage.

"That's it." Libby jumped up from her seat, but Alice immediately pushed her chair back to intervene and stop her from attacking the middle Avery sibling. "Let's go do this outside right now!"

Carl chuckled. "Will there be mud?"

"Is that how you and your sisters handle your issues in… what's your little town called again? Moline?" the cardiothoracic surgeon sneered.

Catherine slammed her palm against the dining table. "Joslyn Nadine, show some respect for your in-laws." She shook her head disappointedly. "Can we all relax and have an enjoyable dinner? Karen and I worked very hard and all this bickering amongst you ladies is ruining it for everyone else."

All of the tension in the dining room was enough for Jackson to blurt out, "Hey, Dad's alive." Suddenly, all of the attention was on him. He poked at his food, ignoring the stares and looking down at his plate. "Saw him in North Carolina, then he showed up last week at the hospital."

The words coming out of his mouth even left his sisters speechless. He smirked at Harper Sr., who had a scowl on his face. "Guess what? I broke his nose and I've been suspended from work the last two weeks, so I've got nothing to brag to you about."

Harper Sr. turned his head towards Catherine. "You knew and never told me?"

"Mom didn't have to tell you anything," Jackson answered for his mother. "You're the reason why he walked out on our family. You pushed him and drove him away, so I grew up without a father. Now he's trying to pretend everything will be okay again by showing his face. He's going to the wedding. You can thank April for that."

"Do we seriously need to bring that up again?" his fiancée retorted.

Jackson stood up from his seat. "And maybe Kimmie's right. Maybe you should go run off to Barry freakin' Evans since he's so damn more understanding than I am. Go be with him, April. Perhaps you should've been with him all along."

"Jackson!" April called out to him as he walked out of the dining room. She ran after him and followed him outside. By the time she reached him, he was already in their car. Despite her protests and constant banging against the window, he pulled out of Richard's driveway and left. She tried her hardest to fight back her tears, but there was no point anymore. The first Thanksgiving between the Avery's and the Kepner's was a catastrophe.

* * *

Alex and Kevin walked into Joe's with the intention to avoid anything Thanksgiving related. While the peds fellow technically wasn't allowed to consume alcohol yet, he preferred being at the bar than at his house. For the past few months, Jo Wilson and Heather Brooks had been renting rooms at his frat house. Initially, he refused to allow any interns or residents live with him and Kevin, but he needed chicks to keep the place tidy for him. It turned out Jo consistently cleaned the house on her days off, while Heather… actually, they weren't sure what she was useful for, but she was useful for something.

Heather's family was in Seattle for the holiday weekend and neither men wanted any part of it. Jo and Heather hardly ever showed signs of being great cooks, so they chose not to stick around for possibly crappy food. At least they knew Joe's had burgers.

Who they didn't expect to see sitting alone at the counter was Jackson. He quietly sat in his seat, sipping his glass of whiskey and reflecting on how immature he acted at Richard's house. He couldn't show his face to his family again, at least for the rest of the weekend. The wrath of his mother would be waiting for him at work. And there was also April to think about. He almost felt like he didn't deserve her anymore after the way he talked to her. Of course he didn't want her marrying Barry freakin' Evans. The fight between their sisters showed just how different their families were. Was this going to happen at every family gathering? Maybe holidays with the Kepner's alone would be less dramatic for everyone – if Big Joe still considered him family after the crap he pulled.

"Avery, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be uhh, at Webber's or whatever?" Alex asked as he pulled the seat beside the pretty boy. Kevin sat on the other side, leaving Jackson in the middle. Their former roommate remained silent. One word and it will be the latest gossip at Seattle Grace Mercy West. "So… shit happened?"

Jackson finished his drink and set his glass on the counter. "Shit happened," he repeated. "What are you two doing here?"

"Brooks got her family over for Thanksgiving. If we stuck around, her parents probably would've asked us a million freakin' questions. Like, are you screwing our daughter?" he quipped.

"Thanksgiving's overrated," Jackson murmured.

Alex patted his shoulder with a grin on his face. "That's the spirit! How about the next drinks on me? Since I can't drink you and Banks gotta do the drinking for me," he offered. He already ordered the first round of shots before Jackson responded.

Kevin gently nudged the plastics fellow with his elbow. "You're really not going to tell us what happened?"

"Honestly," Jackson sat up on his chair and sighed. "Family functions are the worst. In-laws clashing with in-laws. It's going to be ten times worse at the wedding, especially with my father being there."

"If you're already dreading it, why bother doing the wedding thing? You and April should just get it over with at the court house," the trauma surgeon suggested.

"Screw that," Alex scoffed, pointing at himself. "I may never be someone's best man again, so Avery, you better go through with the wedding."

"Can we not talk about weddings or Thanksgiving right now?" Jackson asked irritably. He picked up the shot glass in front of him and raised it up. "Enjoy your bachelorhood, guys. You'll miss it more than you think."

* * *

"April, open the door, sweetie," Karen pleaded as she knocked on the bathroom door. Her daughter had locked herself inside since Jackson left the scene. Her sobs could be heard from outside for what felt like more than an hour, but it suddenly grew quiet inside.

Kimmie sighed in frustration as she leaned back against a wall with her arms folded. "Mom, she's not coming out. Just let her be."

Karen turned around to face the Kepner sisters. "Your sister has been crying in that bathroom because of the mess you and Libby started with Samantha and Joslyn," she scolded them.

"Mom, those two snobs started it first by treating us like garbage," Libby said defensively. "Did you not notice the stares or the whispers amongst those two? They hate us. They only like April because she's a surgeon and well, Alice too because she's in med school."

"You didn't have to mention Barry in front of his family," Alice added, joining the conversation. "Now you got Jackson all riled up over nothing. What if he decides not to marry April anymore, huh? She'll be devastated."

"Listen, you three. Can we please figure out a way to get April out of this bathroom?" Karen interrupted. She knocked on the door once more. "April, we'd like to talk to you face to face. Can you come out, please?"

Libby rolled her eyes. "Maybe she killed herself."

Karen spun back around, glaring at her oldest daughter. "Even as a joke, that is _not_ funny, Libby! You see? This is why April grew up with a low self-esteem. You never helped or encouraged her with anything. All you did was torment her and embarrass her in front of our relatives and her friends." She pointed her finger at Kimmie. "And you followed Libby's act and I have no idea why. April was always supportive of you both even when you treated her horribly."

Libby angrily gestured her hand towards Alice, who innocently watched. "Oh, c'mon! Alice has done her fair share of picking on April. _Everyone_ treated her this way because she was awkward and different and-"

"You're her older sister! The least you could've done is protect her from the teasing and the humiliation." Karen closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I don't know what else to say to you two. I would've thought you'd grow past these childish antics and finally respect each other. That's your sister in there, so convince her to come out of that bathroom right now."

Their mother walked away from the threesome, leaving them to formulate a plan to get April out of the bathroom. They stood around in silence, avoiding eye contact with each other.

"So, umm… what should we do?" Alice asked timidly.

"I have an idea," Libby answered, pulling a hairpin out of her hair. "I highly doubt she'll listen to us, so breaking in is the next best attempt."

There was a small hole in the doorknob, enough for her to slip the hairpin inside. She twisted it around until she felt the lock turning from inside of the bathroom.

"And there we go. See? It was that sim-" She paused when she pushed the bathroom door open and it was empty. The lone window above the toilet was open. "Fantastic. Now, she's missing."

* * *

Shot after shot, Jackson was feeling more relaxed since Alex and Kevin joined him at Joe's. It was a necessary escape from everything. Perhaps too necessary. He was the drunkest of the three. Kevin was in between buzzed and drunk. Alex was completely sober. If it weren't for his healing colon, he most likely would have been as drunk as Jackson.

The three of them were enjoying themselves, making stupid jokes and laughing. It was like old times when they were roommates and before April returned to Seattle. For a couple of hours, Jackson hadn't thought about his fiancée or how she was feeling. He was too drunk to care. Their unofficial pre-bachelor party was interrupted by a familiar face.

"Jackson," April called out as she approached them. She had taken a taxi to their apartment. When she discovered he wasn't home her next guess was Joe's. Seeing Alex and Kevin keeping him company forced her to worry. He was visibly drunk. "We need to talk."

"Later, Kepner," Alex answered for his drunk friend. "He's not exactly Mr. Sober at the moment. Besides, we're trying to celebrate Thanksgiving our way, so you're kind of killing our fun."

April ignored Alex's comments and gently tapped on Jackson's shoulder. He simply shrugged her off, which infuriated her. "Jackson, we need to talk this instant," she demanded. "You don't just embarrass us in front of our families and walk out like that."

"Can we do this some other time?" Jackson muttered. "Just go home."

"No. I'm not going home unless you're coming with me," she insisted. Tugging on his arm, she tried to pry him off of his bar stool. "Please, just come with me. Your mother's worried about you."

"April, let go," he ordered and yanked his arm away. She wasn't giving up, pulling on his arm again. "I'm serious. Let go of me."

April shook her head. "Not until you talk to me."

"I said let go!"

It was probably the alcohol thinking for him because a sober Jackson Avery would never do what he was about to do. Nobody expected him to swing his arm backwards and hit April on the right side of her face with the back of his hand. The momentum caused her to stumble back and she grabbed her face in response.

Whatever annoyance Alex had towards April dissipated as he suddenly turned on Jackson. Grabbing him by his jacket, he shoved him back against the counter and pinned him down with a scowl on his face. "Dude, I'm not supposed to be engaging in anything heavily physical, but I'm just about ready to kick your ass at least five times right now!" He had watched his poor excuse for a father beat up his mother countless times. The plastics fellow wasn't an abusive drunk, but he sure as hell acted like one for a second.

Kevin had jumped up to April's side. He wasn't drunk enough to pretend he didn't see what happened. The entire bar was staring at the scene. It was dead silent except for the music blaring on the speakers. Joe was prepared to break up the fight if one started, but Alex seemed to be handling the situation better than usual. Had it been a random stranger, that man would be on his way across the street to the hospital.

Jackson's drunken state seemed to snap after the hit. He was still drunk, but the sight of April in tears and clutching her face broke him. "Oh, God. April, I'm sorry," he tearfully said.

_What the hell have I done?_ he thought to himself. The last time he hit a person was when Harper Jr. made a surprise visit. He had his reasons for doing it, but… how was he going to bounce back from this one? He hit a woman. Not just any woman. He hit _April_. He may as well let the peds surgeon beat his ass to death for what he had done.

If Alex didn't kill him, Mama Avery certainly would. And Big Joe. The man trusted him with his daughter and he freaking hit her! The incident would definitely not be kept a secret. Too many witnesses. They weren't the only people in that bar from Seattle Grace Mercy West. His life may as well be over now.

"Get her the hell out of here," Alex furiously told Kevin, who immediately cooperated. His roommate escorted April out of Joe's as he faced Jackson. Their noses were merely inches away.

"Karev, let me- let me talk to her," Jackson stammered, choked up by his tears.

"Don't even think about going near her, Avery," he snarled. Alex finally released him from his grip and headed towards the exit. He turned around, pointing at a frightened Jackson. "Just remember I still owe you one for three years ago."

Jackson sat on his bar stool again stunned. His face was pale like he had just seen a ghost. Looking down at his hands, he frowned and held back his tears. Even after the stunt he pulled, he refused to cry like a bitch baby in a bar.

He wasn't an alcoholic, but he already outdid Harper Jr. in the moron department. His father never hit Catherine or any other woman. People might assume he's an abusive drunk now. He couldn't go home. He couldn't return to Richard's house. He couldn't even walk across the street to the hospital. The places where he felt most welcome were likely going to make him feel the opposite. He never felt more screwed than he was now.

* * *

**As always, let me know what you think please ;)**

**Glad Grey's is back this week! Although, I'm not looking forward to the whole Jackson/Steph crap. Honestly, the writing for Japril is ruining my shipper feels.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you for the reviews! I really appreciate it. And Happy Grey's Day! Somebody asked if this would turn into an April/Alex fic. No, it won't. AK2 will be a separate story.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_How did everything get this bad so fast?_ April asked herself as she waited for a bag of ice. Kevin brought her across the street to the hospital, but they entered through the tunnels to avoid the stares she would have received from their colleagues if they had gone in through the main lobby. He had her stay in the tunnels while he ventured off for ice. She sat on a gurney with her face in her hands and cried. The right side of her face stung at the touch. How was she going to explain a bruised cheekbone to their families? She couldn't really. Jackson backhanded her in the face. Plain and simple.

How would their coworkers react? She dreaded facing any of them. The man who hit her wasn't Jackson. He was drunk and frustrated. Thanksgiving was a disaster… but there was no excuse for hitting her. Things had never gone this bad, even when they were just friends.

Alex sauntered into the tunnels with his hands stuffed inside of his jacket pockets. He was huffing and puffing from being so pissed off at Jackson. Yeah, April could be a pain sometimes, but he would never smack her to shut her up. Although he hardly acknowledged the fact, she _was_ his friend. He already protected her from the schizophrenic man who threatened to kill her. Of course he would protect her from one of his own friends if he needed to.

He spotted her alone on the gurney. This was the part he was most uncomfortable with. He had his share of comforting Meredith and Izzie during their most difficult times, but he was closer to Meredith and he loved Izzie. April used to be his roommate, but their relationship was full of awkwardness and banter. They could get along one minute and then argue the next. They never had much of a hugging friendship either.

So he quietly sat beside her unsure of what to say. He personally wanted to kick Jackson's ass for her, but that would only make the situation worse. The peds fellow placed his hand on her back and gently rubbed it.

"Uhh, Banks getting you ice?" April slowly nodded in response. He used his other hand to tilt her head up. "Can I see how your cheek looks?"

She moved her hands away from her face. Her cheek was red and swollen. Alex was positive it would be black and blue by the morning. Her eyes were also red and puffy. The tears trickled down her cheeks nonstop. He had seen her cry, even bawl many times, but not this much.

Alex also felt guilty for making Jackson drink a lot. Maybe he wouldn't have hit April if he wasn't drunk. Then again, he never expected her to show up at Joe's like she did. He was pissed at Jackson for hitting her, pissed at himself for encouraging him to get drunk and kind of pissed at her for showing up. Thanksgiving sucked ass and he wasn't even celebrating it.

"You're gonna be fine, April. It… it doesn't look bad at all," he reluctantly assured her. He knew she was going to look like a battered housewife tomorrow. "Slap a little ice on there and you're okay."

"Jack-son…" Her voice cracked trying to say his name. "Wh-where did he go?"

"Does it freakin' matter right now? He hit you. He was out of line," he angrily replied.

Alex desperately didn't want to hear the speech about how Jackson didn't mean to do it. He heard that before during his childhood and it happened over and over again. While the plastics fellow wasn't abusive, he didn't want April making excuses for him. Nobody should ever hit a woman under any circumstances in his mind.

"He… he was drunk-"

"It doesn't matter, April!" She cringed when he raised his voice. He immediately felt guilty for yelling at her, but he refused to listen to her excuses. "I uhh, sorry. I know you're having a shitty day. I shouldn't be making you feel worse."

April stared down at her hands and frowned. "What am I going to tell everybody?" she softly asked. "I don't know what to do."

"Don't worry about that right now." Alex wrapped his arm around April's shoulder and pulled her closer to his side. He never once thought they would have a moment like this together, but she needed a friend to lean on.

"Okay, I found Banks trying to find ice in the supply closet. Clearly, he wasn't sober," Cristina's voice interrupted the silence in the tunnels. She held up an ice bag as she approached Alex and April. "All he told me was to bring this down here and-"

The cardio fellow paused when April sat up on the gurney, trying to cover her cheek with her hair. Alex leaned back against the wall with his arms folded. If the mood in the tunnels wasn't so somber, she would have teased them for cuddling and maybe accuse them of having an affair. However, she knew it wasn't that based on the trauma surgeon's sniffles.

"Is something wrong?" she asked concerned. Cristina stopped in front of April and saw her swollen cheek. "April, what the hell happened to you?"

"Avery freakin' hit her at Joe's," Alex muttered with a scowl on his face. "Dude was drunk, but he had no right."

Pretty Boy struck his fiancée? Cristina shook her head in disgust. She always guessed he wasn't the gentleman he appeared to be. "Where is that son of a bitch? Alex, did you kick his ass?"

"Trust me, I wanted to," he replied disappointedly. "I don't know where he went. Could still be a Joe's or he fled. You know Kepner's dad will kill him when he finds out."

Cristina sat in between them and placed the ice bag against April's cheek, causing her to wince. "Not if I kill him first," she retorted. "Mer will help me after she finds out."

"Please don't tell Mer!" April panicked. She shook her head as she stared at Cristina worriedly. "Please, please don't tell anybody, okay? I-I don't want everyone to know. They're gonna talk and they're gonna judge Jackson for one small incident."

"_Small_ incident? Kepner, please. This is anything but small," Alex said, adding an eye roll. "We get that you're scared and shit, but you can't pretend this didn't happen. We got your back, alright? Even Yang does."

"Evil Spawn is right," Cristina agreed. "You think Sloan will be okay with this? Of course not. And his mother works at this hospital. It's impossible for her to not find out what happened. People are going to know whether you want them to or not. Nothing at this hospital goes unnoticed."

Damn. She was right. April just didn't want to believe it this time.

* * *

There was only one place Jackson knew where he could hide without any of his coworkers or family members finding him easily. Even in his drunken state, he managed to figure out a sanctuary to lay low for a couple of hours. And he needed to talk to anybody who would listen…

He plopped down in front of Charles and Reed's tombstones in the cemetery. After he managed to pick himself up and leave Joe's, he rode a taxi to visit his deceased friends. He and April hadn't done their monthly visit yet, so he thought he might as well go for it. Plus, he was still drunk. Talking to two granite headstones didn't feel as awkward with alcohol in his system.

"Guys, I did something bad," he murmured as he sat on the grass with his ankles crossed. Jackson scanned his surroundings, paranoid about somebody overhearing their conversation. He leaned forward towards Charles' headstone. "I hit April."

There was a pause in his conversation as if he was giving Charles the opportunity to speak. He looked towards Reed's headstone, holding up his hand. "Reed, I know what you're gonna say and I don't wanna hear it. Just shut up, okay?" he said, partially slurring his speech. "It was an accident. I… I don't know why I- she showed up- why did I listen to Karev?"

Lowering his head, he stared down at his lap and frowned. The tears followed soon after. "I hurt April so bad," he sobbed. Nobody had ever seen Jackson Avery, the crying drunk. If any of his coworkers saw him this way – hell, even his sisters – he would never live it down. "Oh, shit. She hates me!"

He buried his face into his hands and bawled. "Jordan… he'll- he'll hate me too!" he exclaimed. Raising his head, he pointed at himself as he stared at Charles. "I'm good! I'm an _awesome_ father, you know. I'm the best. This is all my fucking dad's fault. He screwed up everything! He ruined my relationship with April and…"

His voice trailed and he never finished his sentence. He simply stared into open space while another tear rolled down his face. His intoxicated mind flashed back to his encounter with Harper Jr. in North Carolina. Maybe if he and Mark had taken another route on their run or if he never cramped up, then they wouldn't have seen each other. But it happened, just like he and April happened. Both incidents were unexpected with very different outcomes. One good, one awful.

"I don't think she'll forgive me for this," he continued, slowly shaking his head. "Joe will murder me and bury me in his cornfield. And April will jump into the arms of Barry Evans. Oh, God. No! I've pushed her away to that douche bag!"

Now, Jackson was rambling. He laid out every worst possible scenario that could happen with April. Cancelled wedding, losing joint custody of their son, April marrying Barry, getting fired because everybody at the hospital hates him. All of the possibilities were making him even more paranoid.

He had no idea when he was going to see his fiancée again. She for sure wouldn't be alone whenever they saw each other again. Alex most likely deemed himself her bodyguard until he was no longer pissed at him. _He _was supposed to be her bodyguard. He always protected her from the teasing she endured from everyone else. He knew things had gone terrible if Alex freaking Karev was defending her from him.

Harper Sr. would consider his act very unbecoming of an Avery, putting his family name to shame. He wanted to dig up a hole and bury himself in between Charles and Reed. This was by far the lowest he had ever felt in his life.

Jackson's cell phone ringing snapped him out of his thoughts. Mark was calling him. Whether he had just found out about what happened with April or his mother asked his boss to check on him, he didn't want to answer it. Instead, he tossed it beside him and let the call go to his voicemail.

"I wish you two were here to tell me what to do," he sullenly said, lying on his back. He stared at the gloomy sky wondering which clouds his friends were hanging out on.

After all of the lame stories he had heard from April about what Charles and Reed were possibly doing in heaven, he found himself wanting to believe them now. Somewhere up there, they were happy. Maybe even frowning down on him for being selfish.

Jackson wished everything could go back to the way things were before the merger. He thought there was a possibility he would still find his way to April in a less dramatic way. No car accident, no unplanned pregnancy… now, he felt like the worst father in the world for wishing Jordan was never born. He loved being his father. Spending time with his baby boy was better than any surgery he had done.

"I'm such an idiot!" he groaned and rubbed his eyes.

Once again, his cell phone rang by his side. This time it was Cristina calling. She never called him unless there was an emergency at the hospital. April could be… he didn't want to jump to that conclusion. He was hesitant to answer her call, but he decided it might be important.

"Hello?"

_"Avery, when I see you again I am going to kick your ass so hard your mother-"_

And he immediately hung up on the cardiothoracic surgeon. Bad move.

* * *

It took another hour or so until April found the little courage she had in her to return to Richard's house and face her family as well as Jackson's. Alex drove her back to be sure she wouldn't make up some bullshit about her cheek, which was now a light shade of purple. He wanted them to know the truth because their parents deserved to know what happened between their precious babies.

She hid behind him when they reached the front door. She was already too embarrassed to ring the doorbell, so the peds surgeon did it for her. He gently pulled on her arm, forcing her to stand beside him.

"You have to do this, April. It's better they find out from you than from somebody else."

The door opened and Karen let out a sigh of relief when she saw her daughter standing outside. "Oh, good. You're okay," she said as she pulled her into the house. "We've been worried to death about you and Jackson."

It didn't appear to Alex and April that anybody in the house knew about the incident. He lazily followed her and Karen into the living room where the others were waiting. April's nieces and nephew were playing in the corner, while Jordan took a nap upstairs. She was glad her son wasn't around for this.

April's hair covered her bruise, but it was obvious to her sisters that she wasn't alright. Her eyes remained red and puffy as they gazed down at the maroon and cream colored rug in the middle of the floor.

"Jesus, April. You know we drove around looking for you? We were going to call the police, but Mom insisted we come back and wait for you here," Libby scolded her. She approached her sister and pushed her hair away. She gasped at the sight of her bruise. "What happened to you?!"

Karen turned April's head to examine the bruise. "Where did this come from?"

"I… umm…"

Alex rolled his eyes. He refused to let her lie to her family. "It was from Avery," he blurted out. Folding his arms, he sported another scowl on his face. "She found us at Joe's. He was drunk and he swung at her."

Catherine stared at Alex appalled. "And where is Jackson right now? We've been trying to reach him, but he's not answering his phone." She placed her hands on her hips, feeling a bit skeptical. She had trouble trusting him after the rumor he spread about Mark and April. "Are you sure my baby did this to her?"

"Yes, I'm freaking sure. I was there," he irritably replied. "He threw his arm back and hit her in the face after she tried to convince him to go home with her."

"What a bastard," Libby said through gritted teeth.

Samantha shook her head in disgust. "I honestly don't understand why our brother is so stupid sometimes."

"Finally, we can agree on something," Kimmie muttered. She joined Karen and Libby to check on April. "That bruise is getting nasty. You should ice that, April."

"I already did." The redhead moved her head away when her mother tried to touch her cheek. "Mom, I'm fine! Where's Jordan?"

Karen pointed towards the ceiling. "He's upstairs napping. He just fell asleep, dear."

April quickly left the living room and headed upstairs. Jordan was sleeping in one of the guest bedrooms. Pillows surrounded his sides to protect him from rolling off of the bed. He looked peaceful with Benny comfortably resting against his arm. She wanted to pack up and go home, but she didn't want to interrupt his nap. Instead, she carefully lay next to her son and watched him sleep.

Alice quietly entered the bedroom, closing the door behind her. "Umm… this is going to sound ridiculous, but are you okay?" she whispered.

"I'm fine," she mumbled as she tenderly rubbed the back of Jordan's head. "Can you just leave me alone, please?"

"Dad's pretty livid. In fact, we all are. He shouldn't have done what he did regardless of how upset he was."

"Alice, please. Leave me alone," she begged. A tear rolled across the bridge of her nose. "I'm not in the mood to talk to anybody right now. A lot of this is my fault, so let me sulk about it."

Alice frowned. "April, don't blame yourself for-"

"Get. Out," she sternly ordered while keeping her voice low enough to prevent waking up Jordan. "I'm not kidding. Get the hell out, Al."

Her baby sister obeyed and left the bedroom without saying a word. April couldn't bear to look at anybody in the eye. Everything about the day made her heart sting. Kimmie had humiliated her in front of everybody when she said she would be a nobody if she hadn't been granted the scholarship to Akron. In a way, she was probably right. But she worked her ass off for her success. It wasn't gift wrapped and handed to her on a silver platter.

And she always suspected that her sisters – except for Alice – believed she wasn't good enough for Jackson. On the other hand, he thought she was… until his big mouth told her she was better off with Barry. She needed to remind herself that it happened in the heat of the moment. Their sisters were clashing since they first met and for some unknown reason, he decided to tell his family about Harper Jr. to deflect the attention away from them.

She hated how quickly Libby and Kimmie rushed to her side after she arrived. They were disrespectful towards her and Jackson. Thanksgiving was a failure partially because of them. Libby should have kept her damn mouth shut about Barry. Her relationship with her fiancé was becoming less dramatic and it rapidly took an ugly turn. Maybe they finally felt terrible about how they had been treating her, but it was too late for damage control.

They had gotten past the Harper Jr. debacle. April agreed to stop pushing Jackson to make amends with his father. It wasn't a major issue anymore. He gradually accepted the fact that his father would be at the wedding. His focus would be on his bride all day, so it hadn't bothered him as much as it used to.

Then Barry was brought up and Jackson questioned her loyalty towards her, which definitely hurt. Sure, she was at fault for hiding her innocent dinner with Barry from him, but she thought he knew better than to lose trust in her.

Where was their relationship headed now? Only time would tell.

* * *

After moping, crying and falling asleep at the cemetery, Jackson caught a taxi and asked to be dropped off at Mark and Lexie's apartment. His mentor had called him a total of seven times. He never returned any of them. He preferred speaking to him in person even if he was still drunk as hell.

Stumbling out of the elevator, he practically zigzagged to his friends' front door. He pressed his forehead against the door, taking a deep breath before he knocked. The plastics fellow toppled over when Mark swung the door open.

"Holy shit, Avery," Mark muttered, catching him in time before he hit the floor. He helped him stand upright and forced him out into the hallway. Closing the door behind him, he had a mixture of a grimace and a concerned look on his face. "Your mother's been calling me nonstop. Where the hell have you been?"

Jackson hunched over, resting his hands against his knees. He felt like he was going to vomit any minute now. "Do… do you know what happened?" he asked, ignoring the question.

"Hell fuckin' yes, I know what happened. And Lexie wants your head, so if she sees you here, I might let her have it," he harshly replied with his hands on his hips. "You hit April?"

"I didn't mean to," he softly said and took another deep breath. He was trying his hardest to keep the booze from coming up. "I swear, Sloan. I would _never_ want to hurt her as bad as I did. Please, believe me."

Mark could see by the tone of Jackson's voice and his body language that he had a rough day. As his mentor, he knew the young man needed guidance from somebody because he was on everyone else's shit list at the moment. He grabbed his shoulders and pushed him up, so they could face each other.

"I do believe you, but the damage is done. Now, it's time to clean up the mess."

Jackson frowned and shook his head. "It's not that simple. You never hit your woman," he whined. "April won't forgive me. She shouldn't. I don't deserve her anymore."

"Listen," he started, gently patting the pretty boy's cheek. "You fucked up. We all have our share of making stupid mistakes. First, you need to sober up. Then, own up to your mistake and try to fix it. You have a huge target on your back, but you can't dodge every person who despises you right now. Don't become a Dopey Mopey. Be a man about it, Avery. I'd offer to let you stay here for the time being, but you don't want to deal with a pregnant woman with raging hormones. Plus, you hit her best girlfriend. She'll kill you in your sleep."

"I need to go home and talk to April."

"I'll drive you, alright? Just let me get my keys-" He paused when his student vomited all over his sock covered feet. Mark slowly inhaled and exhaled sharply. At least he didn't ruin a good pair of shoes. "And clean myself up first. Uhh, I'll get you a rag to wipe the floor."

Jackson softly groaned as Mark entered his apartment. A small towel was tossed at his direction and he knelt down to clean up his disgusting puke. The smell alone made him want to vomit all over again. The Head of Plastics returned to take the towel, holding it away from his body with his thumb and index finger. He dumped it into the hamper, then they left the building together.

The drive to his apartment was silent. Jackson fought back any vomit wanting to spew out of his mouth. He was able to relax for about 20 minutes, resting his head against the window and closing his eyes. In his mind, he began planning what he wanted to tell April. Whether or not she would listen, he needed to talk to her. He hoped Big Joe wouldn't be within ten feet of him. He already received one black eye from him in the past. Another one would most likely hurt ten times more.

Mark helped him out of his car. Initially, he was going to let Jackson go through this alone, but he remembered the hard punch he undeservingly took from Big Joe and decided to provide support if necessary. This time, he would deserve it. However, he wasn't willing to let his best student show up at work with a swollen eye and ego.

Slowly unlocking the door and opening it, Jackson pushed it open. Big Joe and Karen immediately stood up from the couch to face him. Alice had been leaning against the back of it with her arms folded. His duffel bag was sitting on the floor nearby. April was nowhere to be seen. Jordan must have been asleep in his nursery. It was close to his bedtime by then.

He rubbed his eyes as he walked inside. He was caught off-guard by the weight of his duffel bag hitting his chest. Alice had approached him and thrown it at him. "C'mon, there's no need for that."

"You should've thought twice about hitting my sister then," Alice retorted. "She doesn't want to see you, so find somewhere else to stay until she's ready."

"I overreacted horribly, okay? And April needs to know that I'm sorry. Just let me talk to her for at least one minute," he requested. "I promise nothing physical will happen. I'm not that kind of guy."

Big Joe cleared his throat. Surprisingly, he never budged from his place in the living room. Jackson fully expected him to charge at him as soon as he saw him. "You should listen to Alice, son. I don't want things to get physical, but they may have to if you don't leave," he calmly said, though also threatening.

Jackson barely nodded and picked up his duffel bag from the floor. He held it tightly against his chest as he frowned at his future father-in-law. "I'm sorry I hurt your daughter, sir," he apologetically said. "I hope you and the rest of your family can forgive me."

He turned away, leaving his apartment with Mark. There was only one place where he knew he could stay for the time being, though he wasn't looking forward to it. After getting another ride from his mentor, he slowly approached Richard's door and his stomach felt like it was in knots. A million questions would be asked and all he wanted to do was go to bed. He rang the doorbell and waited for an answer.

Catherine opened the door and she appeared surprised to see Jackson in front of her. She had been yearning to give him the nastiest lecture ever, but he looked heartbroken and his eyes were glossy. The duffel bag confirmed that he had been temporarily kicked out of his home. She sighed and pulled him inside. "C'mere, baby," she softly greeted him. "I'm not happy about what you've said and done today, but I'm here for you."

"Thanks," he murmured. "And I apologize for my behavior earlier. I shouldn't have said anything about Dad. I've screwed everything up. I don't see how April would want to marry me now."

"Oh, sweetie. Don't talk like that." She gave her baby boy a hug and kissed his cheek. "April still loves you. I know she does. I could see it in her eyes when she was here. She's upset. Has every right to be, but it's not over, Jackson. You two will pull through this together."

"If she ever speaks to me again," he mumbled, rolling his eyes. He pulled away from Catherine. "I just want to sleep. I'll deal with Grandpa, Sam and Jos' crap in the morning, okay?"

"Alright. You can take the bedroom across from mine," she instructed.

Jackson lazily marched up the stairs with his duffel bag hanging over his shoulder. He walked into the empty guest bedroom and closed the door behind him. Although he was exhausted, he forced himself to change out of his clothes. They reeked of grass and vomit. He climbed into bed and decided to send April a text message before he turned off the lights. He wasn't expecting her to reply, but he desperately hoped she would understand how sorry he was.

* * *

The following day, April's bridesmaids and Catherine were at the apartment to have their measurements taken for the dress Alice chose. It was a light yellow strapless dress that wasn't too plain nor flashy. The front flowed just past the knees, while the back was a few inches longer. Lexie's pregnancy was a factor in the choice, which she appreciated. She loved the fact that the material was form fitting, but not tight enough to suffocate her.

Karen was in charge of taking measurements, having had a lot of experience in sewing and fixing her daughters' clothes. Fortunately, the mood was brighter than the day before. Libby and Kimmie only had to share oxygen with Joslyn because Samantha wasn't a bridesmaid. Neither side had apologized for their behavior towards each other.

Libby finished having her measurements taken and decided to check on April. Her younger sister refused to come out of her bedroom since they arrived. The plan was for her to try on wedding gowns at the bridal store, but all of the women suspected she wouldn't be enthusiastic about it. Karen's lecture had knocked some sense into her. There were times when she did get along with April, but she had been a bitch to her for the majority of their lives.

She always hated to admit that she was jealous of her success. She couldn't help it. The second Kepner sister was the smartest and the favorite child. Kimmie and Alice didn't seem to mind it as much, but it bothered Libby the most. All she wanted was for their parents to acknowledge her for something good just once. She rebelled a lot as a teenager, which made it difficult for Big Joe and Karen to notice her in a positive light. A change in attitude was necessary and it would begin with building a better relationship with April.

She gently knocked on the door. "April? Are you awake?"

Inside of her bedroom, April lay in bed with the blanket over her head. The bruise on her cheek was a dark shade of blue and purple. Without much to do in her bedroom, she stared at the text message Jackson sent her overnight.

_I am so sorry, April. I love you more than you know. Please forgive me. I miss you._

The trauma surgeon never replied to his message, but there were a couple of moments when she started to and changed her mind. She wasn't ready to talk, see or even text him. Jordan was out of the apartment having grandpa bonding time with Big Joe and she wished she had locked him in the bedroom with her. He would have at least distracted her from reality for a while.

She yelped when the blanket was pulled away from her. Sitting up on her bed, she noticed Libby standing at the foot of her bed. "How did you get in? I locked the door," she asked irritably.

Libby held up her hairpin. "I know how to break in, but you don't need to know how I learned to do it," she answered with a grin. "Don't worry. I locked the door again. Can we talk?"

"I have nothing to say to you," she muttered.

"I completely get why you're mad at me. I shouldn't have told Jackson about Barry."

"Yeah, no kidding." April leaned back against the headboard with her arms folded. "And Alice should never have told you and Kimmie either. What you two said yesterday at the dining table was embarrassing. Do you seriously hate me so much that you'd go that far to sabotage my relationship with Jackson?"

Libby climbed onto the bed and sat across from April. "I don't hate you. I've been overly jealous of you for all of these years that it comes off as hatred."

April laughed to herself. "You were jealous that I got fired twice from my job, sucked at being Chief Resident and failed my boards on the first try? Gee, your standards dropped a lot since high school," she sarcastically replied.

"Fine. I deserve that. I've treated you like crap for so long that you can say whatever you want to me," she offered. "Anything, April. I want you to throw everything at me, everything you've been dying to say to me after many years of being a bitch to you."

"No."

"No?" Libby chuckled. "Why not?"

"What's that going to accomplish? You just want me to say mean things to you, so you'll feel less guilty about being a horrible older sister to me." She pointed at herself. "I'm not stupid, Libby. Your effort to try to cheer me up isn't helping at all."

"I don't know what else to say, April," she answered and frowned. "Yesterday, Mom told me I should've been a better sister to you and she's right. Looking back at high school, I was embarrassed to be related to you. You weren't popular. You were an awkward nerd people could tease easily. I shouldn't have let them, but I cared more about myself and how I looked in front of our classmates. I loved being an only child, then when you popped out I lost a lot of the attention. So, the best way to deal with it was to make your life miserable. Now, you're a surgeon and I'm just a lousy stay at home mom."

"You're not lousy. You're a great mother, actually. Even though your kids are hyper and all over the place, they still have good manners and they respect you, so that's an accomplishment," April insisted. "And you're an awesome aunt. Jordan loves you."

Libby softly smiled. "Thanks. Sometimes I don't think Carl realizes how much I do for our family."

"I think he does. He's not an affectionate type of guy, so he has trouble expressing his appreciation," she suggested, then she sighed. "Unlike Jackson."

"You miss him, don't you?"

"Y-yeah," she reluctantly said as she choked back a sob. It didn't take long for the tears to come out. "I want to see him, but I don't want to see him. When I start to think I can forgive him my mind trails back to what he said at dinner and the fact that he hit me. Then I'm pissed at him all over again. He's my best friend and I almost hate him for what he did."

Libby scooted closer to April and pulled her in for a hug. She let her cry on her shoulder as she comfortably rubbed her lower back. "You're going to be fine, April. You went through so much adversity over the years that I'm confident you'll overcome this too. You're the toughest person I know."

April wiped away her tears with her hand. "I don't know how to face him at work."

"Face him when you're ready. Until then, keep your chin up. Don't let anybody think you're weak and helpless without Jackson. Got it?"

"I'll try."

"No try. Just do it." Libby slightly pulled away from April to look at her face. "I want to see you happy, okay? You deserve happiness in your life."

"Jackson made me happy, but maybe… maybe everything that's happened in the past month was a sign. Like, we're not really supposed to be together," she speculated, which only made her cry harder. "Those stupid 'Mint to Be' mints I chose for the wedding are pointless!"

Libby groaned. "April, you're over analyzing this now. Stop it," she demanded, grabbing her sister's shoulders. "You and Jackson _are_ meant to be. You'll realize that again eventually."

April glanced down at her hands. "Hopefully, by March."

* * *

**Next update on Monday ;) ****Looking forward to April/Shane scenes, not so much Jackson/Steph. I hope nerdy Steph returns next week (and unattached to Jackson). I like her ;D**


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks for the reviews!**

**Replying to guest reviewer Lulf - I've already started writing my AK2 fic (and it's a very nice break from Japril, tbh). That story will be posted when B&H is completed, so sometime next month ;)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Richard pushed open the curtains in Jackson's bedroom, waking him up in an instant. He shielded his eyes with his arm from the daylight as he grimaced at the former Chief. "Seriously?"

"It's one in the afternoon, Avery. You need to get out of bed," he ordered. "Your mother told me you're scheduled to have your tux fitting at two and she left me in charge to make sure you go, while she's checking on a few things at the hospital."

It was Saturday morning and the second straight day he had slept in until the afternoon. His work schedule didn't begin again until Monday, so he slumped around Richard's house like a bum. He hadn't heard from April since Thanksgiving and each minute that passed made him feel worse. He also hadn't seen Jordan either. They weren't married yet and he already felt like they were in the early process of a divorce.

"If there's even a wedding to have a tux fitting for," the plastics fellow mumbled into his pillow.

"Alright, I may be past my prime, but…" Richard used all of his strength to lift the mattress and spill Jackson onto the floor. The young doctor groaned on the floor, while his mother's boyfriend folded his arms feeling quite pleased with himself. "Quit sulking and get moving. Or do I need to drag you into the bathroom as well?"

Jackson crawled on the floor before he gradually stood up. He scowled at Richard as he lazily walked towards the bathroom. Closing the door behind him, he stared at himself in the mirror. The scruff on his face grew a bit longer since the disastrous holiday, but he didn't feel like shaving. He had small bags under his eyes. Basically, he looked like crap. Felt like it too.

He certainly wasn't looking forward to tuxedo fitting because he would have to face Alex, who wanted to beat his ass, and Kevin, who would most likely help his roommate if a fight broke out. Fortunately, Mark would be his supportive friend. David and Vince had been mum about the whole situation. They learned early into their relationships with his sisters to stay out of their family drama unless they were directly involved. Jackson always thought they were smart about that.

After he showered and changed into new clothes, he went downstairs to find a quick bite to eat before he left for tuxedo fitting. His presence in the living room was welcomed by his sisters, their husbands and Harper Sr. He tried to avoid them as much as possible until they all returned to their respective homes.

"Somebody finally woke up," Samantha greeted him with a smirk.

"Don't even start, Sam. I'm not in the mood for any of your crap," he retorted as he made his way into the kitchen. There was leftover pumpkin pie in the refrigerator and chose that for his brunch. He leaned against the counter as he ate the dessert from the pan with a fork.

Both of his sisters arrived, bringing his annoyance level with them up a notch. They ragged on him the day before about his behavior and how it was an embarrassment to their family name. Harper Sr. was completely disgusted with him. They only exchanged glares at each other to communicate. The last thing he wanted was more lectures from Samantha and Joslyn.

"Oh, c'mon. I can't even eat in peace without you two badgering me about Thursday?" he whined with a mouthful of pumpkin pie. "What's done is done, alright? Give it a rest."

"How did Dad look?" Joslyn asked curiously, which also surprised Jackson. "Neither of us want to mention him in front of Grandpa, so umm… how is he?"

"I thought you both didn't give a rat's ass about him."

"Just because we've bad mouthed him since he left it doesn't mean we don't care about our father," Samantha scoffed. "If he's alive and well, then we want to know how he is. So tell us, Egbert. How was he when you saw him?"

Jackson swallowed his food before he spoke. "I'm not proud to say this, but he looked good, healthy. He's sober. For about ten years or something," he answered, rolling his eyes. "Uhh, he's remarried with a teenage stepson. He actually cares about this one. And he teaches high school science now in Norfolk, Virginia."

"And you broke his nose?" Joslyn asked, raising an eyebrow.

He nodded, then he winced after his sister slapped the back of his head. "Oww! What the hell was that for?"

"You really love to hit people, huh?" she sneered.

"Hey, Dad and April were two very different situations. Don't you dare put them together," he replied defensively. "Dad deserved it. He left Mom and I when you two were in college. You have no idea what it was like to feel abandoned by him since you both spent all that time with him at Mass Gen."

Samantha waved her finger. "Oh, no. You have it wrong, dear," she countered and chuckled. "You think Jos and I actually bonded with him during all those hours we shadowed him at the hospital when we were teenagers? The man barely acknowledged our presence. He was too caught up in his work. He was a fascinating _surgeon_, but not a father. We do know what it's like to feel abandoned."

Joslyn nodded in agreement. "We thought spending time with him at work would bring us closer, but it didn't."

Jackson shook his head and softly laughed. "Gee, whose fault was it that he was so freakin' busy?" He gestured his hand towards the kitchen door that led into the living room. "Our very own grandfather, who you both worship, by the way. If you're just as bitter as I am about Dad, then why does it matter to you how he's doing?"

"Well, you said he's coming to the wedding," the middle Avery recalled.

"Yeah, so?"

"Mom's been able to talk to him without ripping his head off, so he can't be that awful, right?"

"You've gotta be kidding me," he muttered. "April made a huge mistake by inviting him the wedding. You know Grandpa's going to make a huge scene in front of everybody when he sees Dad. Boom, our day's ruined – if we're still getting married anyway."

Samantha dismissively waved her hand. "April will marry you. She'd be a fool to pass up being an Avery."

"She didn't decide to marry me because of our goddamn family name!" Jackson exclaimed, slamming the pie pan onto the counter in frustration. "Why does everything have to come down to being an Avery? You know none of us are ever going to win Grandpa's award because of our name, right? Face it, our name is both a blessing and a curse. Besides, April saw me for the person I am and not the fact that I'm an Avery. That's why I love her and it's killing me inside that I hurt her. All of this talk about the wedding, seeing Dad again and April's name alone isn't making me feel any better about what I did, so shut up!"

Joslyn sighed. "We're worried about you, Jackie Boy. We've never seen you act up like this before."

"That's because I've never been this crazy about a woman before," he said, dropping his head. "How is she?"

"To be honest, I don't really know," she replied and shrugged. "She locked herself in your bedroom yesterday when we were at the apartment for measurements. It wasn't until Libby broke in that she made an effort to see us. She was supposed to try on wedding dresses, but it never happened."

"That's encouraging news," he sarcastically answered.

* * *

Trying on tuxedos and having measurements done had never been so tense for Jackson. While a tailor held measuring tape down his right arm, he noticed Alex staring at him as another tailor took his measurements. The peds surgeon's eyes narrowed as he slowly looked away from him. He almost regretted making him his best man, but he knew he would have reacted the same way if he was in Alex's shoes. It actually bothered him that Alex had seen April more than he had since he hit her.

Mark tried on a black jacket and checked himself out in the mirror. "This looks pretty damn good on me," he gloated, grinning at his peers. "Avery, you better make sure this wedding's happening."

"Well, I can't do anything about it if she won't talk to me," his student muttered.

"Trust me, she probably won't even want to look at you," Alex chimed in with a smirk.

"Is it too late to change my best man?" he snarled.

Alex snickered. "You want to replace me because I protected _your_ fiancée from _you_? Dude, whatever. I did you a freakin' favor by jumping in," he petulantly replied, then he looked down at the tailor, whose hands were close to his groin. "Hey, watch the nuts."

Jackson had the urge to punch his best man's face. Even though he was right, he hated it when he was. Plus, the smirk on his face annoyed him to no end. The peds surgeon took pride in the fact that he was the hero, while he was the chump. He would probably brag to their coworkers about his good deed when they both returned to work on Monday.

"Just because you helped April it doesn't mean I owe you anything," he said, avoiding eye contact with Alex.

"I never said you did, cake eater," he bantered.

Before Jackson could charge at him, Mark stepped in and cut him off. "Whoa, now. Put those fists away, man. I don't want you operating with jacked up hands," he scolded his student. "Calm down. You've already been through Hell, so leave him alone."

"Fine, but one more word from Karev and all bets are off," he warned, then he returned to his original spot.

Mark followed him and leaned close to his ear. "See? I should've been your best man," he whispered.

Jackson scowled at his mentor. "Shut up."

* * *

Breathe in. Breath out. It was Monday morning. The weekend was over and it was time to return to work. Standing outside of the entrance of Seattle Grace Mercy West, Jackson stared at the building like he was experiencing his first day of high school. His feelings were similar to the new kid in town who didn't have any friends. In a way, he did feel like he didn't have any friends, except for Mark. His gut told him they weren't going to give him a warm welcome back to work. Why would they? As long as Mark kept him occupied, maybe he wouldn't have to speak to anybody about the incident.

Somewhere inside, April was already there. He desperately needed to see her face again. They hadn't seen or spoken to each other in three days, but it felt like a month for him. The lack of father-son bonding time hurt him too. He missed his baby boy just as much as he missed his fiancée.

He stood outside for about 15 minutes before he finally walked into the hospital. To ensure he wouldn't run into anybody in the locker room, he purposely arrived later than usual. Fortunately, it was empty. He quietly changed into his scrubs and threw on his lab coat. A part of him felt relieved to be working again, but also anxious. No matter how much he tried to convince himself he would be fine, his problems with April were going to be a major distraction. Mark would likely watch him closely for the week.

Jackson rode the elevator down a floor to the daycare center. If anybody could lift up his spirits before his shift started, it was Jordan. He stood in the doorway, searching for his son. He found him playing in the corner with Addison's son, Henry. As he walked towards him, he smiled. As crappy as he felt, Jordan could always make him smile.

"Hey, Jordan!" he called out to him and knelt down on the floor. His son instantly whipped his head around at the sound of his voice. The bright smile on his face let him know he was happy to see him.

"Dadadada," the baby boy responded as he waddled towards his father.

The plastics fellow didn't hesitate to pick him up when he reached his arms. He kissed his cheek and hugged him tightly, but not so tight that he would suffocate him. "I missed ya, buddy."

Jordan continued to smile, unaware of the fact that his parents weren't on speaking terms. Jackson wondered what he would think if he knew what happened between him and April. If he was a teenager, he would loathe him for sure because he would have understood the problem. Instead, he just saw him as Dada and he was giddy to see him.

He felt like a douche. He wanted to ask him, "I'm a moron who hit your mommy. Do you still love me?"

But of course, that sounded inappropriate. Jackson held him close to his face and sighed. "Jordan, I love your mommy very much. I just want you to know that we're always going to love you no matter what happens between us, okay? I love you."

"Wuvoo."

The baby's attempt to say it back was unexpected. Jackson never thought hearing his child try to repeat those three words would make him sensitive. Perhaps it was because he wished April was around to hear him say it for the first time. They had experienced Jordan's milestones together until now. He fought back his tears. There was no way he would cry in a daycare center.

He set his son on the floor and stood up. "Daddy has to go work now. I'll see you later, okay?" Jackson started walking towards the exit hoping Jordan wouldn't follow him or begin crying. To his relief, he stayed put. He waved at his son and smiled when he returned the gesture. If he could, he would have spent his entire shift in daycare. At least nobody despised him there.

* * *

April didn't want to be at work. She wished she had listened to the voice in her head to call in sick, but she was given enough time off during Thanksgiving weekend. Being in the ER typically kept her composed, but everything about the pit agitated her. She couldn't pinpoint a reason why. Lexie helped her cover the bruise on her cheek with makeup. While it didn't appear as bad as a few days before, she was still refused to let anybody see it. It was barely visible, though it didn't stop the whispers and glances from her coworkers. She never understood why people's business had to be everybody's business. Gossip spread so fast in the hospital it was ridiculous.

Shane approached April, who stood by the nurses' station as she skimmed through a chart. "Good morning, Dr. Kepner," he cheerfully greeted her.

Her eyes slowly looked up at him and she gave him a blank stare. "Do you need something, Ross?"

"Uhh…how are you?" he timidly asked.

"I'm peachy," she replied unenthusiastically. April closed her chart and handed it to a nurse. She raised her eyebrow at Shane as he continued to stand beside her with a grin on his face. It wasn't a secret that he was her favorite pet, but she wasn't in the mood for any ass kissing. "What are you still doing here?"

"I was wondering if you needed help with anything."

"Because I'm apparently too emotionally disturbed to do things on my own, right?" she asked irritably.

Shane quickly shook his head. "No- no, not at all. I… thought you could use an extra hand because... do you want to talk? Umm, I mean, if you're comfortable about talking- well, I'm a good listener-"

"Ross, just… walk away. Please," April instructed. "Thank you for caring, but I'd rather not talk about _that_. We're here to save lives not talk about our personal problems. Now, go bother Banks and ask him if he needs help with anything. I don't want your pity."

"I don't pity-"

"Walk away, Ross! Seriously, leave me alone," she snapped. Her sudden outburst caught the attention of the nurses and doctors nearby. As Shane obeyed her orders, she noticed the stares from her peers, which only annoyed her even more. "What?"

Everybody had returned to their normal business soon after. They could see April wasn't messing around. The next person to ask her about Jackson was going to be strangled. Three days of not seeing or speaking to her fiancé was painful. It always came down to Jordan because he deserved to see his daddy. She didn't want him to experience the lack of father-son bonding like Jackson did with Harper Jr. Then again, Jackson never once sent a text or called any of her family members to ask to see their baby boy. They both needed time and space away from each other, but that didn't necessarily mean he couldn't be with Jordan either.

But she missed him more than ever. It made her cranky, weepy and depressed. Still, she wasn't ready to forgive him for what he had done. She knew he was sorry, but she couldn't do it just yet. Sometime during her shift, they were going to see each other whether she wanted to or not. The awkwardness, the stupid stares from the people around them… she thought maybe she would feel better walking around the hospital with a paper bag over her head.

It surprised her how supportive her friends were. She always knew Lexie would be there for her, but it was Alex who impressed her the most. He seemed concerned about her and not pity fries concerned. It was weird. She could see the sincerity in his behavior when he checked up on her. She sensed it wasn't bullshit due to the fact that he only acted this way when they were alone – and he didn't call her Apes. Only Alice was allowed to call her that. There may have been a little pity, but overall, his warmhearted side was comforting. Maybe Hell didn't have to freeze over for them to have a decent friendship.

An incoming trauma broke her out of her mood. Owen entered the ER pushing a gurney with an unconscious woman laying on it. Her clothes and most of her body were covered in blood. The Chief, Teddy and Kevin were pressing their palms against certain areas of her body, possibly to prevent her from bleeding out.

"Kepner, I'm going to need your hands here," Owen called out to her.

April followed them into one of the trauma rooms. From the looks of the woman's injuries, she had been stabbed numerous times. Who the hell stabs a woman in the morning?

"What happened, Chief?" she asked while she swiftly put on a trauma gown and gloves.

"Julie Pryor, age 34. Her husband stabbed her multiple times in the abdomen and chest after a dispute at home. Apparently, the husband was drunk and abusive and simply went ballistic on her," he explained as he attempted to stop the bleeding coming from one of the stab wounds. "Patient's unconscious, but breathing. Blood pressure is 85 over 55. She's lost a lot of blood and there could be possible multiple internal injuries. Altman and I are going to need 110% time and effort from you and Banks to help me keep her alive. Can you handle it, Dr. Kepner?"

_Of course I can handle it!_ she yelled in her mind. Just because Jackson hit her it didn't mean she couldn't handle a patient who was assaulted and stabbed by her drunk husband. The two incidents didn't even compare. In fact, seeing the woman suffer as a victim of domestic violence motivated her even more.

"Yes, Dr. Hunt. I'm absolutely sure I can handle it," she confidently answered.

This was trauma. It was what she loved and worked with for a living. She could handle it.

* * *

Not even an hour into the surgery, the patient had died. Despite rounds of blood transfusions, her organs failed and their efforts to save her weren't enough. Owen had anticipated a challenging surgery due to the amount of injuries she suffered, but he was never one to let people die without trying to save them first.

April was pissed at herself. It didn't take long for her to feel attached to her patient, so she felt like a failure. Even though there were other patients whose lives couldn't be salvaged either, this one hurt a lot. She had a horrible feeling the dispute was over nothing. The woman probably accidentally burnt his toast and he flipped out on her. Now, she was dead. That stupid bastard.

She washed her hands at the sink and she let the tears come out. It was inappropriate to be emotionally attached to patients, but she couldn't care less at that moment. Julie Pryor was most likely a very lovely woman who married an asshole. Why men acted barbaric towards the women they supposedly loved, she would never know.

Owen stood beside her, slightly frowning at his crying student. He thought he might have made a mistake asking her to scrub in with them. While she was focused on saving the patient, he knew why she was upset that they failed. She didn't want the abusive guy to win. Jackson was a good guy at heart. He always thought he himself was too. They made their mistakes of physically hurting their loved ones. He felt for the couple. They hit a rough patch and weren't sure how to get past it.

"I know how hard you worked in there, April," he softly said and gently squeezed her shoulder. "But you have to remember that we can't save everyone no matter how much we try. It's unfair, but we have to move on."

Slowly nodding her head, she dried her hands and left the scrub room. She walked down the hallway wiping away her tears with her hands. Her first surgery of the day and she was already emotionally spent. She needed to find a place to sit down and clear her head.

Turning the corner were Mark and Jackson. They were taking their own patient to one of the OR's for their surgery when they saw the distraught trauma surgeon walking towards their direction. April lowered her head to avoid making eye contact with either plastics man. As she passed them, Jackson couldn't help but watch her. Whatever was bothering her, he wanted to know.

"Fine, you can check on her," Mark mumbled. "But don't take long. Five minutes tops."

Jackson was surprised his mentor allowed him to follow April, but he wasn't going to waste time wondering why he did. He rushed down the hallway and caught up with her around the corner. "April," he said as he stepped in front of her. She tried to walk around him, but he blocked her path. "Can we talk for a minute? Please?"

Avoiding him forever wasn't going to happen anyway. He saw the bruise on her cheek. Her tears had washed away the makeup covering it. He reached his hand to touch her cheek, but she flinched in response, which he didn't expect.

"Are you afraid of me?" he asked uncomfortably. She remained silent and he frowned. "Say something."

"I… I have to go," she softly said, dodging his attempt to stop her from walking around him.

This time he didn't follow her. He had a surgery to scrub in to and Mark would give him crap if he was late. For a brief moment, he watched her walk down the hallway before he headed the other way.

Their short exchange didn't go unnoticed. Meredith stood nearby, typing away on a computer and pretending she wasn't eavesdropping. She sighed as April chose a supply closet to cry her eyes out. Her friend could use some comfort, she thought, so she followed her inside. The redhead sat in the farthest corner sobbing against her knees.

Meredith approached her with her hands inside of her lab coat pockets. Without saying a word, she took a seat beside April. "If you don't want to talk, that's fine. But I'm not going to leave you alone," she quietly said.

"I can't even look at him," April muttered, lifting up her head to look at Meredith. "I don't know why he's the bad guy. I started it all by pushing him too hard to try to make up with his father. And Barry Evans? I should've just told him I had dinner with him. I'm so freakin' stupid! Everything blew up because of me."

"You both had your faults, okay? It's not just you, April," she assured her. "Think of this as a major learning experience. You and Jackson have been so happy for so long that neither of you were ready for that part in your relationship when things get a bit ugly for whatever reason."

"Well, I never thought he would hit me."

"I don't think anybody did," Meredith insisted. "Listen, Derek and I… we had many, _many_ rough patches before our relationship and marriage were stable. I like to think that if we can survive the crap we endured, then there's hope for people who have dealt with less drama. You and Jackson will be alright. He truly loves you and Jordan. Don't throw in the towel yet."

April nodded her head and dried her eyes with her scrub top. She didn't know Meredith and Derek's entire history, but she knew enough that there were plenty of fights and heartbreak between them. And after years of drama, they were finally in a good place. Maybe she was right. Owen and Cristina outlasted their own crap, which she thought was much worse. Callie and Arizona also had a couple of break ups and now they're happily married. Mark and Lexie finally found their way to each other permanently. She and Jackson had rarely fought this bad until recently.

There was plenty of hope they could make it work. Forgiving him was the hard part.

* * *

Being at work really did feel like high school all over again. For Jackson, he was in that group who stared at the awkward kid who couldn't find a place to sit and eat in the cafeteria. This time it was a complete role reversal of his teenage years. At one table were Meredith, Cristina, Alex and Kevin. They all glanced at him like he was a disease. He definitely wasn't welcome to sit with them.

"Avery! Over here," Mark shouted from across the cafeteria. Lexie elbowed his side and shot a glare at him. He cleared his throat and sheepishly grinned at Jackson. "Uhh, just kidding."

Whatever. The high school treatment wasn't new at Seattle Grace Mercy West. People always acted younger than their ages when they had issues. He left the cafeteria with his lunch. He just wanted a quiet place to eat without worrying about anybody staring at him or threatening to kick his ass. Downstairs in the tunnels seemed like a reasonable choice. Nobody ate there as often as before.

But somebody had beaten him to his spot and it was the one person he should have expected to find eating alone. April quietly ate her lunch on one of the gurneys. Her eyes looked up at him, but he couldn't exactly figure out what she was thinking. It was either _I was here first, go away_ or _You can eat here and I'll leave_. He took a step back and sighed.

"I'll go somewhere else."

"No. You can stay," she murmured, to his surprise.

He leisurely approached her, then he sat beside her on the gurney, leaving about a foot of space in between them. The plastic surgeon wasn't hungry anymore. He would rather talk to her after she let him stay.

"Jordan said, 'I love you', earlier." He softly laughed to himself. "Well, he pronounced what he could, but I know what he was trying to say. It's cool, you know? He's beginning to say sentences."

April managed to smile down at her lunch. "I bet it was adorable," she replied before she took a deep breath. "Why do you think our relationship works, Jackson? We're so… different from each other."

"I tend to think we work _because_ we're different from each other. If I was with somebody who was similar to me, I might as well be better off dating myself," he answered. "And we were friends for a long time before you and I happened. We built a lot of trust in each other. I've never once regretted falling in love with you. The only thing I regret in our relationship is that I hurt you in one of the worst ways possible."

"I brought this on myself," she sadly replied. "I don't think before I speak. I try to fix things that are out of my expertise. Sometimes I create unnecessary problems between us. I'm neurotic and annoying. I'm probably not the woman you imagined yourself to be marrying one day. I don't understand how you can love all of that."

"Because you're more than that to me, April." Jackson scooted closer to his fiancée and picked up her hand. He was relieved when she didn't let go. "You gave me a beautiful son and you're an amazing mother. You're not afraid to call me out when I'm stubborn or acting like an asshole. You can be quirky and full of surprises, but I love that about you."

He used his other hand to tilt her chin up with his thumb. He turned her head, so they could meet eye to eye. "What you tried to do for my dad and I… I know I wasn't appreciative of your efforts, but I get that family is a big deal to you. My family was never as close as yours, but I want that closeness with us. You, me and Jordan and the next kids that come along in the future. I don't want our kids growing up wondering why we didn't spend enough time together."

"You hit me," she murmured.

Just seeing the tears in her eyes brought out tears of his own. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I sincerely am," he apologized, gently pressing their foreheads together and cupping her cheek. "I love you. So much."

"Jackson, I…" She pulled away from him and slid off of the gurney, gathering her lunch. "I need more time. I'm sorry."

He watched her rush through the doors leading back into the hospital with a frown on his face. Quickly wiping away his tears with the sleeve of his lab coat, he rested the back of his head against the wall and cursed at himself. It was going to take more than an apology to win her forgiveness.

* * *

**Let me know what you think please :)**

**Also, I'm switching to Mon/Fri updates for the rest of the story. Just giving y'all a heads up.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey, folks! Like always, I appreciate your reviews :) So, I never really felt good about this chapter. Some of it is because J/A on the show ruined my writing mojo for a while, but I'm my own worst critic and I tend to think every chapter isn't good lol.**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

Six days, thirteen hours, fifty five minutes, seven seconds. Jackson kept count of how long it had been since he last stepped a foot into his and April's apartment. Sure, it was anal retentive and he had never done this with any other woman, but he missed his fiancée more than ever. They talked at the hospital for professional reasons, though it didn't go past that. She was still hurt and trying to find the will power to forgive him. He thought they would find their way back to each other sooner. Alas, that wasn't the case.

He visited Jordan at daycare to make up for not being at the apartment. Being with his baby boy was soothing and he could chat with him as if everything was alright. He would try to stop by at the end of his shift to kiss him goodnight before April came to pick him up. He hated how broken their family was.

For April, it was much harder. Things could go back to the way they were if she would just forgive him, but every time she saw his face her memories of Thanksgiving would return and she lost confidence in doing so. People at work weren't talking about it as much. The gossip had died down, but their coworkers could feel the tension whenever they were together in the same room.

It was a slow day in the ER. She preferred to be occupied with patients because they prevented her mind from drifting back to Jackson. And she was also more tired than usual. Having Jordan all to herself at home gave her an idea of what it was like to be a single mother. With Jackson around, they split the parenting duties, but she had to do all of the work herself. Their son was a tiny ball of energy. Sometimes he exhausted April more than work did.

She left the pit to buy coffee at the small stand in the main lobby. Without a caffeine boost, she would likely fall asleep in the OR if a surgery popped up in her schedule. After buying herself a cup of coffee, she pressed the elevator button to go upstairs and visit Jordan in daycare. A good 15 or 20 minutes away from the ER wouldn't kill anybody, at least she hoped so.

As she waited for the elevator, she noticed Jackson walking towards her direction from the corner of her eye. Not in the mood for a confrontation, she pressed on the up button a few more times even though she knew it wouldn't bring the elevator any faster. When it finally arrived she rushed inside, bumping into the people exiting the elevator. She hit the level four button and frantically pressed on the button to close the door.

Just when she thought she dodged her fiancé, a hand snuck in between the doors and they opened. Jackson stepped into the elevator, then he immediately made sure nobody else joined them inside.

"When are you going to stop this?"

"Stop what?" she asked, pretending to be clueless.

"You know what I mean. Avoiding me whenever you get the chance," he replied in frustration. Jackson placed his hands on his hips. "How much longer are you going to hold what happened on Thanksgiving against me?"

"It's not that simple, Jackson. You hit me, remember? I can't pretend it never happened."

"Of course, I remember! And I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! But how are we supposed to work things out if you won't talk to me?" he exclaimed.

April glared at him. "Don't yell at me. You think I really want to talk to you when you're yelling me like this?" she scolded. She yelped when the elevator jolted and came to a halt. The lights turned off for a brief moment before the emergency lights came on inside. "Uhh…"

"I think we lost power for a second," the plastics fellow speculated. He pressed the various buttons of the elevator, but nothing happened. "Well, shit. We're stuck."

"What?!" she shouted. She pushed him out of the way and began slapping her hand against the buttons. Even the emergency alarm wasn't working. "Why isn't anything working?!"

Jackson rolled his eyes. "Because beating the buttons to death will miraculously make the elevator work again." He took his cell phone out of his lab coat pocket as she continued to glare at him. He groaned when he realized he didn't have any reception. "This freaking hospital, I swear."

April watched him throw his cell phone at the floor. "Yeah, because breaking your phone will solve the problem," she scoffed. The trauma surgeon tried using the elevator phone, but it was dead. "Great. How are we supposed to get out of here?"

Waving his arms at the small security camera in the corner, he jumped up and down hoping somebody would notice they were trapped. "Hello! If you can see or hear me, can you fix the elevator and let us out, please?!"

She gripped the railing as his jumps caused the elevator to bounce. "Stop jumping! You might break the cables and we'll plunge to our deaths!" she shrieked.

"Right, because I weigh 500 pounds, April," he sarcastically sneered, shooting a glare at her. "Don't be paranoid. The cables won't snap with just two people in here."

"You don't know that. I saw this program on the Discovery Channel-"

"They're not always right, so don't let your paranoia get the best of you," he demanded.

He attempted to pry open the doors with his hands, while she checked her cell phone for reception. Unsuccessful on both parts. Frustrated with the situation, he kicked the doors and grimaced in pain. "Son of a bitch," he muttered.

"Good plan, Jackson. Break your foot. That'll help us get out of here," she quipped.

"Do you have a better idea, sweetheart?" he retorted. He watched her take a seat in the corner. "What are you doing?"

"I'm not talking to you," she replied, holding her knees against her chest and avoiding eye contact with him.

"Fine." He sat down in another corner with his arms folded. "We'll just sit here and wait for the elevator to work again or starve to death. Whichever happens first."

* * *

"Has anybody seen Avery?" Mark asked the doctors who were inside of the attendings lounge. "I've been paging him for the past half hour and he hasn't responded at all. I need him to cover for me while I'm at Lexie's appointment."

Meredith shook her head. "Nope, haven't seen him," she answered as she ate her lunch with Cristina and Alex. "Have either of you two?"

"If I did, he would be missing a ball or two," Cristina scoffed, smirking at Mark. "Don't you Plastics Posse dweebs have some sort of mating call you can use? Or better yet, can't you sniff around for his scent?"

"This is serious, Yang. I even checked the daycare and he wasn't there," the plastic surgeon replied irritably.

"Couldn't you just freakin' have him called out through the PA system?" Alex inquired before he stuffed his mouth with his sandwich.

"We have a PA system?" Mark turned his attention towards Owen, who entered the lounge. "Hunt, have you seen Avery? He's either gone missing or he's ignoring me on purpose."

The Chief looked back at him after rummaging through the refrigerator. "No, have you seen Kepner? She left the ER to buy some coffee, but that was about an hour ago. She never returned. Fortunately, we haven't had any major trauma come in."

"Huh, Avery's missing and so is Kepner. It's a no-brainer what they're doing right now," Cristina speculated, then she disappointedly shook her head. "I knew she'd give in to his pretty boy eyes before the week was over. Pay up, Karev."

Meredith chuckled as Alex groaned and pulled out cash from his pocket. "You two are terrible. They're working things out. Good for them."

Mark snapped his fingers. "I knew I should've checked the on-call rooms," he said, walking towards the exit. "When I find him I'm going to congratulate him for winning over April's forgiveness – then I'll kill him for ignoring me."

* * *

Jackson lightly banged the back of his head against the wall. He and April were stuck inside of the elevator for a little over an hour now. The plastics fellow tried pounding on the doors and screaming for help, but nobody responded. There was a good chance the elevator had gotten stuck in between floors. While they were the only people inside, it wasn't comfortable. It was getting pretty damn hot and stuffy.

April groaned as she removed her lab coat. "I was never claustrophobic before, but that may change after today."

"Do you remember when I locked Charles in the janitor's closet during our second year of residency?" he asked and laughed to himself. "He freaked out because he said he was claustrophobic. A bunch of us just stood outside while he tried to break open the door."

"And after about twenty tries, he finally broke through and dislocated his shoulder. We had to tell Dr. Swanson that he fell down the stairs, so nobody would get busted for slacking," she recalled. The redhead giggled as she thought back to their early years at Mercy West. "We had a lot of fun before the merger. None of us had to worry about our jobs yet."

Jackson nodded in agreement. "There used to be five of us. You, me, Charles, Reed and Trevor Stanley," he remembered. "Wow, I haven't thought about Stanley in so long. He kind of just disappeared after he got laid off prior to the merger."

"Yeah, poor guy. He was planning on going Peds. I highly doubt he and Karev would've gotten along," she suggested. "Although, it would've been fun seeing him make Alex look bad."

"I'm not sure if you ever realized that Trevor had a crush on you. He always followed you around like a sick puppy."

April shook her head and laughed. "That's not possible." She smirked at her fiancé. "Jackson, Trevor's gay."

He raised both of his eyebrows. "Really?" he asked, visibly surprised. Trevor Stanley was a smooth talker with the females of the hospital, so he had never suspected that their old friend was actually playing for the other team. "Trevor's gay?"

She slowly nodded, trying not to laugh. "He only followed me around because I was the person he confided in. Obviously, he wasn't out yet and he had trouble coping with it. He didn't trust Reed, so he couldn't talk to her. And Charles would've been an ass about it. And you, well… it was _you_ he had a crush on, not me."

He opened his mouth to speak, then he closed it. His smooth talking friend had the hots for him and he had no idea. "Whoa," he breathed, staring at his shoes with wide eyes. "That's uhh… did he ever- would he tell you if he checked me out in the locker room?"

April shrugged, holding back her smile. "Maybe."

"I mean, I don't have a problem with gay people at all, but…" Jackson rubbed his eyes and let out a laugh. "Trevor's gay?"

"Indeed." She sighed. "I miss that guy. He shouldn't have been one of the people let go. He was a good doctor."

"It's weird how one day there's five of us, then…" His voice trailed off as he frowned. "Down to four and then, just us two. Me and you. Maybe not even that anymore. Do you still love me, April?"

April furrowed her eyebrows, staring at him like he was speaking to her in an alien language. "Why would you even ask that? Of course, I do. I've just been angry and hurt about everything that's happened between us," she insisted. "We both made awful mistakes."

"Mine was the worst. I shouldn't have hit you – ever." Jackson crawled across the floor of the elevator and sat beside his fiancée, taking her hand. "It doesn't matter how pissed I was that day. Hitting you felt like I cheated on you. Being away from you made me feel worse and worse. I miss you and I miss Jordan. I never imagined things to be like this between us."

"Me either," she murmured. "I always liked to believe that nothing could go wrong in our relationship, but that's stupid. All couples have their ups and downs. I guess I thought we were safe from the downs because we were so happy."

"It wasn't just you. I had the same mindset. After you recovered from your car accident, things finally settled down and we were able to live a normal life with Jordan. We watched him grow without any complications. My family didn't have the closeness we do, so I was happier than ever. I would tell myself that I _can_ do this family gig, that I won't end up like my father and abandon you two."

He shook his head in disappointment. Just thinking about Harper Jr. reminded him that his problems with April started when he came back into his life. They had different views on how to deal with the situation, which only created more hurt than resolution. If he had the option to erase his father in an instant, he would do it. But his return tested their relationship. They needed that test because it was unrealistic to assume everything would always be full of happiness and smiles.

"He's the reason why we're in this position. I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe it was a blessing in disguise. Don't get me wrong. I'm still not ready to forgive him, but if this dilemma hadn't tested our relationship, something else would have and it's possible it'd be something worse," he suggested.

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's best if we don't actually think about that." Jackson gently brushed April's cheek with his thumb and smiled. "I'd rather think about how beautiful you're going to look in your wedding gown."

She slightly grimaced. "I haven't picked one out yet," she guiltily replied. "I was supposed to try on gowns after Thanksgiving, but… we had to reschedule."

"Well, whatever you choose, I know you'll be the most beautiful bride ever," he declared, moving his head closer to hers. "So, do you forgive me?"

The trauma surgeon smiled as she wrapped her arm around his neck. "I forgive you. Again, we both made awful mistakes. I went against my own advice about always being honest with each other. I promise I won't hide anything from you again."

Jackson passionately kissed April's lips. While she wasn't the only person he sought forgiveness from, she was at the top of his list and a huge sense of relief rushed through him. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her as she happily cried on his shoulder. Threading his fingers through her hair, he buried his face against her neck and placed soft kisses against it.

He knew they were going to be alright.

Suddenly, the emergency lights flickered and another jolt forced both of them to jump up to their feet. The elevator seemed to be moving again, to their relief.

April quickly wore her lab coat and picked up her empty coffee cup. Her eyes wandered towards Jackson, who appeared anxious to run out of the elevator. "Divine intervention?"

Jackson wrapped his arm around the trauma surgeon's shoulder when the doors opened. "I don't know, but I swear," he told her as he ushered her out of the elevator. "Sometimes this hospital gives me the creeps."

* * *

They were more than alright after they found an on-call room to prove that everything between them would be better from now on. Luckily, they managed to dodge their coworkers. Even though they wanted their friends to know they were on good terms again, that part could wait. They preferred being alone together first. It had been more than a week since they made love. So yeah, everyone could wait.

Jackson smiled up at his fiancée, who lay on top of him against his chest after, what he thought was, mind blowing sex. He literally needed to catch his breath as April smugly grinned at him. In the back of his mind, he wondered how he could ever be so pissed at the woman staring back at him. Despite her flaws, she was the love of his life.

"So, uhh…" he said in between kisses. "Does this mean… I can go home… with you now?"

April giggled against his lips. "Where else would you go?"

"Back to Webber's," he muttered. "Can I tell you how much torture it is to live there? The things I have to hear at night-"

"I don't want to know," she cut him off and laughed before she rolled off of him. She lay on her side, resting her head on his chest. "Jackson, I want you home, okay? You've been punished enough and so have I. The apartment's not the same without you there."

"That's how I felt after you moved back to Moline." He decided to change the subject. "Your dad didn't try to kick my ass. I'm still pretty surprised he never bothered to because I deserved it."

"My dad loves you. He was furious, but a part of him reminded himself that you weren't yourself," she assured him. "That doesn't mean you're off the hook. As long as my family knows you're deeply and truthfully sorry – and I know you are – you'll be fine."

Jackson nodded his head. "Thanksgiving was a calamity. One of the worst holidays I've ever experienced with the Avery's," he admitted. "Maybe next Thanksgiving should solely be celebrated with your family instead. My family sure as hell makes a mess of things."

April shook her head as she gently rubbed her fiancé's chest with her fingertips. "It's not just your family. It's mine too. I mean, c'mon. Libby and Kimmie and Samantha and Joslyn were never going to hit it off," she noted. "Anybody could see that coming. We grew up in very different households. Somebody was bound to clash with somebody."

"And that shouldn't have included us," he sullenly replied and forced a laugh. "I went from preventing our sisters from killing each other to bitching at you about Barry Evans. The way Libby blurted it out- we just got over another fight and I couldn't help but think you had dinner with him to get back at me for being an ass."

"Oh, no. That wasn't my intention at all. I was being nice… after not thinking before speaking," she sheepishly said. "Libby apologized to me for doing that. Actually, we bonded, which almost never happens. It's possible she was possessed or she does have a heart."

He softly chuckled. "I wish I could say the same for Sam, but I think she was born with devil horns," he quipped and shared a laugh with her. "You know, basically everyone who isn't Sloan hates me, if that makes you feel better."

"It doesn't. I don't want them to hate you," she replied, glancing up at him. "Once they find out you and I are okay again, they'll stop… and Alex will eventually poke fun at me again like he always does."

Jackson ran his hand up and down April's shoulder. "Who would've thought Alex Karev would become so protective of you?" he jokingly asked. "That guy is full of surprises, I'll tell you that. The Karev from when we first met would've kicked my ass in a heartbeat."

"He's a good friend," April pointed out. "A rather douchey friend at times, but he's good."

"So, I don't want to beat a dead horse, but what happened at dinner with Barry?" he asked curiously.

"We talked about our high school reunion. He didn't go, so I gave him a full summary of what he missed," she truthfully answered. "He realized everyone he knew changed, including myself. He was still trying to live as his old teenage self, while his friends moved on. I felt sorry for him, to be honest, especially after he openly admitted that he wanted to steal me away from you. That was never going to happen. We _are_ friends, though. Nothing more than that."

"It's okay. I trust you," he promised, kissing the top of her head.

Suddenly, Mark burst into the on-call room, startling the reunited couple. "Avery, are you in he-" He grinned widely as Jackson sat up on the bed, while April covered herself with the blanket. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? Are my eyes deceiving me or are you two screwing like rabbits again?"

"Are you freakin' kidding me?" the plastics fellow groaned. He glared at his mentor. "But if you must know, yes. April and I are… we made up, okay?"

Instead of leaving them alone like they had hoped, Mark approached them and sat down on the bed. He acted like the perverted older brother who celebrated his younger brother's loss of virginity. "Aww, look at you two," he gushed. April lay on her back, holding the blanket against her body with one hand and covering her blushing face with the other. Jackson was about ready to kick his ass. "Can I just tell you how pleased I am to see you two back together?"

"Well, can I tell you how _uncomfortable_ this is, Sloan?" Jackson irritably replied. "By the way, we never broke up. Also, do you mind? We're uhh… we're having a private moment in case you haven't noticed."

"Don't mind me. I wasn't even here," he insisted and stood up. He smirked at the couple as he headed towards the door. "You know what? I'll save you some time and spread the joy. You two keep doing what you're doing."

As soon as the door closed, Jackson collapsed back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. "What the hell just happened?"

April kept her hand over her face and grimaced. "I'm not sure, but Mark Sloan is all the motivation I need to _never_ have sex in this hospital again." She turned her head, moving her hand away to look at him. "From now on, we wait until we're home."

He slowly nodded in agreement. "Definitely." Leave it to his mentor to turn what was a very intimate moment into an embarrassing one. If they weren't so impatient and eager to jump into each other's scrub pants, that door would have been locked.

Mark Sloan: mojo deflator. "I'll kill him later."

* * *

With Jordan resting against Jackson's shoulder, he and April walked out of the hospital hand in hand after their shifts ended. Mark wasn't kidding when he said he was going to tell everybody the good news. Lexie's attitude towards Jackson seemed to turn around instantly because she was one of the first people to find them and tell them how excited she was that everything was fine again. Cristina made a snarky comment about how April couldn't get enough of Jackson Action. Meredith claimed she was always confident that the couple would pull through.

Resolve their issues. Check.

Allow Jackson back into their apartment. Check.

Wedding in March. Check.

Jackson felt like he was on top of the world again. He wanted to pump his fist up in the air like Judd Nelson in _The Breakfast Club_ when they reached the parking lot, but he kept his giddy feelings to himself. To their surprise, Alex was waiting for them by April's car.

"Avery, got a minute?"

"Yeah, sure." He handed his son over to April and walked a few feet away from them with Alex. "What's up?"

"So, you and Kepner are good again? I mean, like really good?" the peds surgeon asked, stuffing his hands inside of his pockets. His concern for their relationship was surprising, yet pleasant at the same time. He never cared this much about it until recently.

Jackson smiled as he nodded his head. "Yeah, we're good. Everything's alright," he confirmed and gave Alex's shoulder a hard pat. "And yes, you're still my best man. That wasn't going to change."

Alex softly chuckled, then he quickly pointed back at April, who was waiting inside of the car. "Cool, because the depressed puppy act from the both of you was getting annoying," he quipped, eliciting a playful nudge from his former roommate. "But uhh, yeah. Glad things are working out. You know, I'm actually taking this best man thing to heart, so I would've kicked your ass if the wedding was called off."

"Well, you won't have to… which is a relief," he acknowledged.

"So, what'd you do? Lock her inside of an on-call room until you two made up?"

"No. Actually, we were stuck in an elevator after the power shorted out for a moment," he answered, sheepishly grinning. "But it forced us to talk and the rest is history."

Alex scrunched his nose. "You two screwed in the elevator? Even I haven't done that. You know there are cameras in there, right?"

Jackson rolled his eyes. "Of course, I do. If they actually worked, we would've been rescued a lot sooner without having to wait for the elevator to work again," he pointed out. "And no, we didn't _screw_ in the elevator. I highly doubt she would've wanted to anyway."

"Okay, so… see ya, then."

"Later, Karev," he said before he returned to April's car. He decided to retrieve his clothes from Richard's house the following day and go home with her instead. His car had been parked at the apartment complex since she drove it home after Thanksgiving. He hitched rides with Richard and Catherine to and from work. Sometimes he rode with Mark if Lexie wasn't with him.

Climbing into the driver's seat, he checked on Jordan through the rearview mirror. His mini-me was waving Benny around in the air and entertaining himself. He looked to his right at April, who happily smiled at him. "Things are cool again between Karev and I."

"Thank goodness. It would've been awkward having him as your best man if he continued to hold a grudge against you." She placed her hand on top of his. "Let's go home."

_Let's go home._ He loved hearing that.

* * *

December finally came. Jackson and April were content with leaving November far, far behind them after how dramatic things had gone for the both of them. Now, they had Christmas to look forward to. It was exactly two weeks before her favorite holiday. They found what she called "the perfect tree" to place in the corner of their living room. It was a Kepner tradition to decorate the tree as a family, so Alice came over to help.

April hooked a red ball ornament around one of the small branches, then she clasped her hands together feeling satisfied with how their decorations turned out. "It looks gorgeous!" she squealed. Everything looked perfect, not too cluttered but not bare either. She noticed one minor detail was missing. "Oh! We forgot the star."

"Here it is," Alice said, picking it up from its box. "Dad usually puts it up, but obviously, he's not here. How about we have Jordan do it?"

"That's a cute idea!" The elder Kepner spun around with glee to find Jordan tangled up in the extra set of Christmas lights. She placed her hands on her hips and smirked at her baby boy. "Jordan, what have you done?"

He sat on the floor grinning up at his mama. The little boy knew exactly what he was doing.

"You slick little guy," she gushed and didn't hesitate to snap a photo of her son with her cell phone. After she managed to untangle him from the lights, she picked him up and kissed his cheek. "You have the most important job for the tree, baby. Although, you're going to need some help from Daddy."

Jackson set up a step stool beside the tree. Even though it was about the same height as him, he didn't want to risk falling over with his kid sitting on his shoulders. He carefully sat Jordan on his shoulders and grimaced when he started slapping the top of his head. "Oww, oww! No hitting, buddy."

"He must still be paying you back for what happened last month," Alice joked.

"Be nice to Daddy's head, Jordan," April scolded, then she handed the silver star to Jackson. "So, umm… make sure he doesn't try to eat that. It's kind of sharp."

Jackson held Jordan's legs as he stood on the stool. He made sure his son grabbed the star at the base, then he directed his arm towards the top of the tree as April took pictures with her cell phone. Once the star was secured, he grinned at the 1-year old. "Good job! You did it."

April and Alice both clapped and Jordan reacted with his own clapping. "Aww, you're such a big boy," the trauma surgeon said in her baby voice.

The plastics fellow picked up their son from his shoulders and flipped him upside down, making him giggle loudly. He had to move his head to dodge the hyper baby's kicking feet. "You don't need to give this kid any sugar for him to have a sugar high."

"Look at it this way, his hyper behavior makes it easier to put him to bed." April blew a raspberry against Jordan's exposed belly, which made him laugh again. "Why are you so adorable?"

Alice heard her cell phone ringing and walked off to answer it. Jackson set Jordan on the floor and let him waddle back towards the set of lights he was playing with.

He pulled his fiancée towards him, wrapping his arms around her waist. "You're going to love what I got you for Christmas."

"Oh, yeah? Any hints?"

"No way. I want you to be absolutely surprised," he insisted, placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

Both of them turned their heads towards Alice when she dropped her cell phone and failed at holding back a sob. April quickly approached her sister with a worried expression on her face.

"Alice, what's wrong?"

The younger Kepner covered her mouth with her hand, then she looked up at April. "L-Libby called…" She cleared her throat, but she couldn't stop crying. "She said… she said Daddy had a heart attack."

"Oh my God," she softly said, her eyes quickly swelling up with tears. "Is he- is he okay?"

"No," Alice blubbered. "He's gone."

* * *

**Apologies to anybody who liked Big Joe...**

**And I loved Jackson and April's scene last night. Sad, yet good in a sense that things could be going up from here (after Matt of course :D)**

**Let me know what you think please! I really did feel bad about killing off Big Joe :\**


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks for the reviews :) Hope everyone had a nice weekend (Go Niners!) Anyway, read, review, Snoopy dance, whatever you feel like doing afterwards.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

April felt like she could hear and feel her heart break into millions of pieces when those two words came out of Alice's mouth. How could this happen? As a doctor, she constantly checked up on her parents' health, calling them to ask about their blood pressure, cholesterol, everything she thought she should worry about at their ages. And every time she asked they told her not to worry because their blood pressure was normal and so was their cholesterol. Big Joe's was a little high, but nothing exercise and medication couldn't fix. They were healthy living people. She just saw them a few weeks ago and they looked healthy.

Now, Big Joe had unexpectedly passed away. She didn't want to believe it.

One moment she was happily decorating the Christmas tree and the next she, Jackson, Jordan and Alice were on an airplane to Cleveland, Ohio, two days later. Even then, she refused to believe her father was dead.

She could barely speak to Libby on the phone when she called to find out how it happened. Neither of them could speak at all. The call was mostly filled with sobs. Both were inconsolable, so their other halves were forced to speak to each other.

For Jackson, it was weird speaking to Carl. They hardly talked at Thanksgiving and Libby's husband wanted to break his face with a monkey wrench after he hit April. However, it wasn't about either of them. He also wanted to know what happened to Big Joe.

From Carl's recollection, Big Joe had gone out early in the morning to feed the pigs. After an hour, he hadn't returned to the house and Karen grew concerned. She went outside to check on him and that's when she found him lying on his back by the barn. He wasn't breathing. It was too late to try to resuscitate him, paramedics said. He was long gone before she decided to look for her husband.

Jackson may not have shown how devastated he was like April did, but his heart broke too. Big Joe was already more like a father to him than Harper Jr. ever was. They had an understanding between each other. He was looking forward to building a solid relationship with his future father-in-law and now, he couldn't. And he felt awful for his fiancée.

Although she was close to both of her parents, she was extremely close to her father. She told him about how she and her father would have one on one talks about anything that was on her mind when she grew up on the farm. She rambled, while he listened to everything she had to say before he offered her advice. He cried like a baby at her graduation ceremony at Akron when she received her medical degree. He was the person she called when she felt homesick during her intern year at Mercy West.

And he was supposed to walk her down the aisle in March. Fuck.

Jackson looked down at Jordan, who slept comfortably against his chest. It was his first plane ride and he seemed to be handling it well. The ear plugs must have helped him doze off easily. He sat by the window in case either April or Alice needed to rush out of their seat to go cry in the bathroom. His free hand tightly clutched April's, who stared straight ahead at the seat in front of her. Her skin appeared to have gotten paler and paler as the airplane moved closer to Ohio. She hardly said anything since their flight left Seattle.

He leaned close to her ear. "Are you feeling okay? Do you want some water?" he whispered.

"I'm fine," she quietly responded.

"Are you sure?"

"Jackson," she whispered irritably, turning her head to look at her fiancé. "I am fine."

The plastic surgeon sighed as she faced forward again. They hadn't really talked about the situation since the news broke out. She would change the subject or ignore him completely. If Catherine had unexpectedly died, he wouldn't know what to do either. The last time people close to them passed away was during the shooting. Losing Reed and Charles hit them hard, maybe even harder for April.

The one and a half hour drive to Moline was just as quiet, except for Jordan's babbles in the backseat. Jackson had been waiting for the day he visited April's hometown, but he didn't want his first trip to happen under depressing circumstances. Alice opted to drive them from the airport. She and April sat in the front, while he was beside Jordan in the back. He wanted to try to keep the mood somewhat upbeat, so he tickled his son to make him laugh. It was enough for April to turn around in her seat and sadly smile at their baby boy.

As they got closer to Moline, the scenery had changed from city to farmland. Lots and lots of farmland and a little bit of snow, but not much. According to the car, the temperature was in the low 30's outside. It reminded him why he preferred living in Seattle even though the weather wasn't that much better over there.

A long road took them to the Kepner residence where they crossed a small bridge before Jackson saw just how large April's home was. He used to imagine an aging house and a red barn a few yards away until she showed him pictures of what her home actually looked like. The pictures didn't justify how beautiful the farm was even in the winter.

They owned acres of land to grow crops and there were several small red barns where pigs and chickens stayed, while the larger barn held the horses and cows. About 200 yards away from the large barn was the Kepner house. It was a two-story white house that appeared old, yet refurbished over the years. Christmas lights outlined the window sills and the roof. It definitely had a "Home Sweet Home" vibe.

Alice parked the car in the driveway beside the house. Jackson unloaded Jordan from his car seat, then he helped the two sisters get their luggage from the trunk. Walking closer to the front door, they could hear chatter from inside of the house. Libby and Kimmie's families arrived the day before, along with grandparents Jackson had yet to meet.

He softly squeezed the back of April's neck and gave her a smile to reassure her that everything would be okay. She barely returned the smile before she opened the front door with her key. Their presence was immediately greeted by the family members in the living room.

Both April and Alice rushed towards Libby and Kimmie. The foursome swamped each other with hugs and cried, relieved that they were all together again as a family. Karen entered from the kitchen and joined the group hug with all four of her daughters forcing her into the middle of it. Carl and Tom were off in the corner, whispering amongst each other and sipping their bottles of beer. The loud thumps coming from above them were the children playing upstairs. On the couch were an elderly man and woman. The woman shared similar features with Karen, so Jackson figured they were her parents.

Jackson felt incredibly awkward, especially when he caught Kimmie glaring at him. They hadn't spoken to each other since Thanksgiving and he clearly wasn't her favorite person. Despite making up with April, he still needed to seek forgiveness from the rest of her family. Besides Alice, none of her family members had officially forgiven him for hitting April. Even worse, he wouldn't be able to ask for forgiveness from Big Joe and he was the one person he wanted to earn back the respect from the most.

After minutes of hugging and sobbing, April pulled away from her sisters and Karen to introduce Jackson to the rest of her family. She grabbed his hand and led him towards the couch. Quickly drying her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket, she cleared her throat before she smiled at her grandparents. "Jackson, these are my grandparents, Grandpa Stuart and Grandma Kate," she said, gesturing her other hand towards them. "And this is Jackson, my fiancé, and our son, Jordan."

The small-framed old woman pushed herself up from the couch and took Jackson's hand into both of hers. "Hello, Jackson. It's nice to finally meet you," her soft voice greeted him. "Karen told us you're a wonderful man."

Kimmie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure," she scoffed.

Fortunately, Jackson hadn't heard Kimmie's remark and smiled at Grandma Kate. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Now I know where Karen and April got their beautiful smiles from," he complimented, which made her laugh. He then shook Grandpa Stuart's hand after he stood up. "I'm looking forward to being a part of this family."

"This boy's got charm," Grandpa Stuart pointed out before leaning in close to him. "Something Carl and Tom know nothing about."

He held back his laugh, but smiled at the elderly man. "Uhh, thank you."

"Look at this little boy's eyes. Have you ever seen eyes so stunning like his?" Grandma Kate gushed as she grinned at Jordan. She lightly pinched his cheek causing him to smile and act bashful by hiding his face against Jackson's shoulder. "What a handsome boy, April."

"Thanks, Grandma. Or maybe I should be thanking Jackson," she sheepishly answered.

"Nonsense, bunny. You two make a beautiful couple," Grandma Kate insisted. She held up her arms. "May I hold him?"

"Of course." Jackson handed Jordan to his great grandmother. Thankfully, he seemed to be quite comfortable with her as she made him smile again.

April brought him to the corner of the living room to meet Kimmie's husband, Tom. He had his hair slicked back, which Alice always referred to as his sleazy lawyer look. "Tom, this is Jackson. Jackson, this is Tom, Kimmie's husband," she introduced the two men.

Tom firmly shook Jackson's hand and smirked at him. "Ah, the wife beater."

"What did you call me?" the plastic surgeon asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

April pressed her hands against Jackson's chest, pushing him away from Tom. "Why don't I show you my bedroom?" she suggested, but not without looking back at her brother-in-law and mouthing, "Asshole", to him.

Jackson carried their luggage upstairs with a scowl on his face. He followed her into a bedroom and closed the door behind him. He set their bags on the floor, then he scanned her bedroom walls. The 'N Sync posters, a _Dawson's Creek_ poster – it screamed teenage bedroom. On a shelf were various awards from science fairs. A set of assorted books were lined up along the back of her desk. Her bed was covered with a yellow, purple and white floral blanket and a crib was set up nearby for Jordan. Some picture frames hung on one wall of April and her high school friends. For a brief moment, her childhood bedroom kept him distracted from thinking about what Tom called him.

"So… this is my room," April said before gently biting down on her lower lip. "It's geeky, I know."

"No, it's… you. I like it." He plopped down on the bed and dropped his head. "I'm not a wife beater."

"I know you're not. You never were," she assured him, taking a seat beside him. "Don't listen to Tom. He's an ass. He always says things like that to be funny, but he doesn't realize he's being an asshole."

Jackson frowned. "Well, I can already tell I'm not exactly welcome here. The way Kimmie stared at me. She freakin' hates me. And I just met Tom and he already thinks I'm some dick who beats up on you," he complained, shaking his head. "I don't want to make this trip about me. It's not supposed to be."

April cupped his cheeks and raised his head to face her. "You're not a wife beater, okay? Eventually, she won't continue holding a grudge against you once you guys start talking again." She kissed his lips and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm glad you came with me. I don't think I could deal with… you know, without you here."

"It'd be ridiculous of me not to come. Joe was a good man and he thought of me as his son." He sighed as his arms snaked around her waist. "I just wish we could've had the chance to talk. He knew I was sorry for hitting you, but he never forgave me. I should've just picked up the phone and called instead of waiting for your parents to return to Seattle for Christmas."

"Neither of us knew this would happen. Nobody did, but he was willing to forgive you. We talked on the phone five days ago and he told me he wanted to do it in person," she tearfully replied, then she covered her mouth with her hand. "I can't believe he's gone. It- it wasn't his time to go."

He let her cry on his shoulder while he gently threaded his fingers through her hair. "I'm so sorry, April. I know how close you were to your dad," he comforted her, kissing her cheek.

"It's not fair," she mumbled against his shoulder. The trauma surgeon lifted her head to look at Jackson. "He was only 59 years old. He- he wasn't that freaking old! He's supposed to die peacefully in bed, not so suddenly outside of the pig barn. Why the hell would he just leave my mom like that?!"

Normally, Jackson could think of something comforting to tell April, but he struggled to find the words. What could he say to make her feel better? And his issues with Harper Jr., the whole situation made him even bitter because he loved Big Joe, while he didn't have the same feelings towards his own father. Instead of using words, he simply pulled her against his chest and hugged her again. Life certainly wasn't fair at all.

* * *

Dinner was a bit livelier than when they first arrived at the house. The dining room was full of chatter, mostly coming from the children's table, but Karen tried her best to keep the conversations less depressing and less about Big Joe. It was obvious all of the Kepner women were tired of crying and it showed on their faces. Jackson had been fairly quiet unless Grandpa Stuart or Grandma Kate asked him questions about himself. He avoided eye contact with Kimmie, who continued to give him the stink eye whenever their eyes met.

"Bunny, your little boy is the kindest baby I've known since well… since you were a baby," Grandma Kate complimented and smiled at April. "And he adjusts quickly to strangers. Be careful, though. He might walk off with just about anybody."

April softly laughed. "Thanks, Grandma. I'll keep that in mind."

Jackson smirked at his fiancée. "Why does your grandmother call you bunny?"

"Oh, when she was two years old she went through this phase where she would hop around the house instead of walk. She looked like a cute little bunny, so I gave her that nickname," Grandma Kate recalled. "It was so adorable."

"Now I know why you eat carrots almost every day," he teased, eliciting a playful nudge from April.

Kimmie stood up from her seat and headed towards the kitchen. "April, can you help me bring out Mom's pies, please?"

April wasn't stupid. She knew Kimmie didn't need help with Karen's pies, but she followed her into the kitchen anyway. "Okay, just say whatever you've been aching to tell me since we arrived, Kimmie."

"Why are you still with that guy?" Kimmie asked without any hesitation. She leaned back against the counter with her arms folded. "He mistreated you. You don't just take back a guy who hits you."

"I'm pretty sure I know a hell of a lot more about my relationship with Jackson than you do," she argued. "We're past that. We reconciled our differences and he really wants you guys to know how sorry he is. Dad was going to forgive him, so you should too. Give him a break."

"No, I will not _give him a break_," the younger Kepner sternly replied. "Even Barry Evans didn't do something _that_ horrible to you."

"Jackson's not a wife beater. How dare you tell Tom he was one!" April retorted, glaring at her sister. "And you still haven't apologized to me for the things you said on Thanksgiving. You were out of line."

Kimmie pointed at the closed kitchen door. "He comes from a family who thinks they're better than everybody below them. How can you marry into a family like that? None of us belong, April. His sisters proved that our families are too different to coexist together," she explained.

"He's _not_ like his sisters at all," she replied defensively. "I know we're different. He could've chosen some hot bombshell over me, but he didn't. Libby thinks we're meant for each other and that's saying a lot considering she never says anything nice to me."

Jackson entered the kitchen, interrupting the sisters' banter. "Everything okay in here?" he asked concerned.

April spun around and forced herself to smile at him. "Yeah, everything's fine. Why?"

"Because we can hear you two from the dining room," he admitted with a grimace.

"I'm going to bring out the pies," she said, picking up the two homemade blueberry and apple pies from the counter. April gave Kimmie a quick glare before she left the kitchen.

Jackson slowly approached Kimmie and sighed. "Listen, I understand why you don't like me, but that doesn't give you the right to go around telling people I'm a wife beater."

"I only told Tom," Kimmie scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You can get away with charming our grandparents, but it's not going to work on me. I thought you were a guy I could trust, a guy who wouldn't hurt my sister the way you did. It's disgusting how fast she forgave you."

"You don't know me like she does," he insisted. "And I want to make an effort to get to know you and your sisters better without the nasty comments or looks. Your dad meant a lot to me too. He was the closest I had to a father because mine was always busy and then he eventually left my mom and I to take care of ourselves."

"At least you still have a father," Kimmie sneered as she walked past Jackson. "Mine's dead."

He softly groaned when she left him alone in the kitchen. Karen was the next person to walk inside and she noticed he was upset based on the pained expression on his face.

"Everything alright?" she softly asked.

"Yeah," he answered with a frown. "I'm umm… I'm sorry. About Joe. He was a very thoughtful and caring man."

Karen sadly smiled at him. "Thank you, Jackson. He… he thought the same thing about you, even after what happened on Thanksgiving," she acknowledged and gave him a hug. "I know you'll take care of April."

"I promise I'll take good care of your daughter," he assured her. "And if you ever want to stay in Seattle with us, you're more than welcome to. We'd love your company."

"I appreciate your invite. Thank you again." She pulled away from him and took his hand. "C'mon, I'm sure a slice of pie will cheer you up a bit. Don't let anybody make you think you don't belong in this family."

Her words did help him feel better about being there. He was relieved to know that she wasn't holding his mistake against him. He knew he was marrying into a loving family who could look past his flaws and still accept him as one of their own.

* * *

The following morning was the funeral. It took place in a small church in Moline. Many family friends who lived around the area, as well as relatives from other parts of the country, came to pay their respects to Big Joe. April hadn't seen some of them in years, mainly due to the fact that she had been living in Seattle for almost ten years. There were a handful of old school friends of all four Kepner sisters who attended the funeral.

The Kepner's and their families sat in the front row of the church. Big Joe's coffin was in the center of the altar, closed to April's relief. She still had horrifying flashbacks of Reed's dead body every now and then, so she definitely didn't want to see her father's cold, lifeless body resting in the coffin. Jackson held Jordan on his lap, while April sobbed beside him. He held her hand throughout the whole service except for when she had to walk up to the altar to give her eulogy. Each daughter had spoken, but she was last. And there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Even Jackson shed a few tears, though he tried his hardest to hide them.

He was really going to miss having one on one talks with Big Joe.

After the service ended, everybody drove to nearby Toledo to bury him because Moline didn't have a cemetery. This part was the worst for April. She wasn't ready to say goodbye to her father. She buried her face into Jackson's shoulder when they lowered his casket into the hole dug out for him. All of the Kepner women were inconsolable during the burial.

As people began heading to their cars, April noticed an unexpected visitor standing underneath a tree and trying to hide his presence. It was Barry. She had sent him a text message telling him about Big Joe the day after she found out, but she didn't think he would actually show up to the funeral. They hadn't talked since his last visit in Seattle.

She walked towards him knowing he was reluctant to move around with his walker. "Hi," she greeted him, her voice raspy from crying all day. "I… didn't expect you to be here."

"Sorry I never returned your text or called. I wasn't really sure what to tell you and I pretty much scrambled to come out here," Barry apologetically said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm really sorry about your dad. While I know he didn't like me very much because of what I did to you, I worked for him on the farm, so I wanted to pay my respects. He was a great guy."

"Yeah… he was," she glumly replied. "Thanks for coming."

Barry gave her a half-smile and a nod. "No problem." He noticed Jackson watching them from afar. "So, umm… everything doing alright with you and Jackson?"

"Yes, we're good," she confidently said before she turned around and waved at her fiancé. "Jackson, c'mere."

The plastic surgeon approached the two while he carried Jordan in one arm. He stood beside April and held out his hand. "Mr. Evans, how is your recovery going?" he asked without the overprotective attitude this time around.

Barry shook Jackson's hand. "It's slow, but progressing every day, I suppose," he answered with a smile on his face. "And you can call me Barry, Dr. Avery."

"Call me Jackson," he politely corrected him. "Anyway, that's encouraging news. I hope you bounce back."

"Thanks, man." The quarterback nodded his head towards Jordan. "So, I'm finally getting to meet your son."

"Oh, you're right." April smiled at her baby boy. "This is Jordan, one of the best things to ever happen to me."

Barry used his thumb and index finger to shake Jordan's hand. "Hey there, Jordan. You've got a strong hand. Maybe you'll be a quarterback one day," he implied.

"Actually, he'll be a wide receiver," Jackson pointed out with a grin. "Like his father."

"Oh? Where did you play?"

"Harvard."

"Wait a minute. You're the same Avery who caught that Hail Mary to upset Boston College, huh?" Barry inquired. He chuckled and snapped his fingers. "I knew your name sounded familiar. I just didn't know you were _that_ Avery."

Jackson raised both of his eyebrows, impressed that Barry recognized him from his college football days. "Yeah, senior year. You saw that game?"

"I remember seeing the highlights on _Sportscenter_. You caught that ball with three guys trying to climb all over you," Barry recalled and grinned. "You were number one on their top ten countdown and rightfully so."

April softly laughed. "How did I not know about any of this, Jackson?" she asked with a smirk. It amazed her that the two men were bonding over football and on one of the most depressing days of her life. However, it made her day a little brighter.

Jackson sheepishly smiled at her. "You never asked? Or I didn't want to brag."

Barry patted Jackson's shoulder. "I think you would've done well in the NFL."

"Maybe so, but being a surgeon was always my aspiration," he admitted.

"And you wouldn't have met her," he said, quickly pointing at April. "Congratulations on your engagement. I wish nothing but the best for you two."

"Why don't you come to the wedding?" Jackson suggested, surprising April in the process. He smiled at Barry, who also appeared taken aback by the invitation. "We have room for more guests and I'm sure April would like another friend to support her."

April was still confused by the sudden friendship between them, but she didn't see the harm in extending an invite to her high school classmate. "It's in March. March 23rd in Seattle. If you'd like to come, I can mail you an invitation, so you can formally RSVP," she insisted.

Barry quickly shrugged and smiled at her. "Yeah, sure. I'm honored," he replied and nodded. "I'll make sure that weekend's free in my schedule. Thanks for the invite."

"Also, there's a gathering at the farm too if you want to meet us there. Everyone's welcome."

"I'll be there."

"Okay. We'll see you there. Bye." April walked away from Barry with Jackson after the two men exchanged goodbyes. She laughed to herself as they walked to the car. "So, when did you decide you to become nice to Barry?"

"When he remembered my game-winning catch against Boston College," he quipped, then he shook his head. "Actually, ever since we made up I decided I'd give the guy a break if we met up again. Turns out he's a lot cooler than I thought."

She reached up and kissed his cheek. "That was sweet of you to invite him to our wedding. You're the best."

Although they were two different situations, he felt like a bigger douche bag for being so angry at her for inviting Harper Jr. to the wedding. While it wasn't the right decision on her part, he thought maybe he was taking his father's sudden interest in his life again for granted. Big Joe was gone and Kimmie's words hurt, but she had a point. He still had a father, who was willing to form a relationship with him after not having one for years and years. A part of him refused to feel guilty for breaking his nose, but his feelings were slowly beginning to change.

He wrapped his free arm around his shoulder and sighed. "I do what I can."

* * *

Jackson stirred in his sleep. It was chilly in the house and the heater was busted. Carl promised to fix it earlier that day, but his lazy ass forgot. The bed was smaller than the one at the apartment and the mattress wasn't as comfortable. He turned over to wrap his arm around April's waist, but it landed on open space instead. Opening one eye, he realized she wasn't even in her bedroom. He sat up and rubbed his eyes wondering where she was. It was a little past 2 AM.

First, he checked on Jordan in his crib. His son was sound asleep with Benny by his head. He made sure his blanket was securely around him to prevent him from catching a cold. Looking out the window, he noticed a light coming from the second level of the large barn. He figured April had to be there. Clad in only a t-shirt and sweatpants, he wore his basketball shoes and a thick jacket before he stepped out of the house.

It was much colder outside at night, forcing him to rub his hands together and fold his arms around himself to keep himself warm as he walked towards the barn. Upon entering the barn, he could hear giggles and chatter coming from above him. He nearly yelped when one of the horses made a sound and quickly moved towards the ladder leading to the second level. Quietly climbing the ladder, he paused when his head reached the opening of the second level where April and her sisters were sitting together in a circle.

There was a lantern in the middle and a couple of bottles of some sort of alcohol. They were giggling because they were drunk.

"Remember when Alice got lost in Dad's cornfield when she was five?" Libby asked, her words partially slurred. "She couldn't find her way out for like, two hours!"

Alice dismissively waved her hand, while her three sisters laughed at her. "Whatever. It's different when you're like a foot tall and the corn is almost seven feet tall," she scoffed and took a swig from one of the bottles. "And you guys are jerks for not helping me. One of the worst times of my life."

April took the bottle from the medical student. "Oh, no. Nothing's worse than the time Libby was in charge of feeding Mr. Snortles and she tripped and face planted right into his crap!" she recalled before laughing hysterically with her sisters, except for Libby.

The oldest Kepner girl gasped in horror. "Dammit, April. I thought we were never going to speak of that again!" she whined, but her sisters' laughter only made her smile in embarrassment. "Fine, fine. But at least I didn't have to slaughter him like bunny girl here did. April, you cried for a week after Dad helped you slaughter your first pig."

"Hey, he was a friendly pig. He went out with a bang – I mean, literally. I shot him." April chuckled, then she covered her mouth with her hand when she let out a loud hiccup. "Do you think that woke up Jordan?"

"We're not in the same building, dumbass," Libby teased, playfully shoving her and grabbing the bottle from her. "He's probably sleeping like a baby because you know, he's a baby."

Jackson watched the four sisters drunkenly share stories about their childhood, sometimes quietly laughing to himself whenever one of them brought up an embarrassing April moment. It was a break they needed. Plus, it was uplifting to see her getting along with all of her sisters at the same time – even if they were drunk.

Kimmie drank from the other bottle and sighed. "You think Dad would be fine with us taking bottles from his wine collection and drinking them?"

"Maybe not the 1980 edition. I'm pretty sure he got this one after I was born," Libby guiltily answered. "We really should've checked the labels before we grabbed these. What year is the other bottle?"

The third Kepner girl squinted her eyes as she checked the label. "It's 1999 – Mom and Dad's 20th wedding anniversary," she read the label out loud, then she frowned. "Great. We took a sentimental one. Shit."

"He'd have a cow if he found out," Alice sullenly added.

Libby could see the tears beginning to form in April's eyes and raised her hands in front of her chest. "No tears, remember? We agreed this would be a time to reminisce about the happy times we had here on the farm," she reminded them. "No crying. Dad never let us cry when we were doing our chores… or if I made April do my chores. We could only cry in the house, but not out on the farm. That's why we're in the barn."

April rapidly blinked her eyes and nodded her head. "Yes. No crying," she reassured herself.

Kimmie raised her bottle. "This is for Dad," she proposed.

"To Dad," Libby agreed and clanked her bottle against Kimmie's. They both sipped some wine before passing the bottles off to April and Alice.

Alice cleared her throat after drinking her share of the wine. "Dad would be sooo proud right now," she sarcastically declared and started laughing with her sisters.

Jackson decided not to disrupt the sister bonding happening in the barn and climbed back down the ladder. He returned to the house without waking anybody up and lay back in bed, falling asleep again.

A half an hour later, April tried her best to keep quiet as she stumbled into the bedroom. Fortunately, all four Kepner's made it down the ladder without any humiliating accidents, but they weren't exactly stealthy inside of the house. She sloppily climbed into bed, waking up Jackson in the process. She snuggled against his side, her cold nose tickling his neck.

"I love you, Jackman," she murmured as she closed her eyes.

He softly smiled and pulled the blanket higher up to cover her shoulders. "Love you too."

* * *

**So as I'm working on my AK2 fic while finishing this one, I have no idea what to write for Japril after this. I have an AU high school fic that I started writing before Rivers and Roads, but left it alone and haven't touched it since. Thought about posting that for those who don't want to read AK2, but it would need some heavy revamping. Plus I find HS fics a little tough to write. We'll see ;)**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thanks for the reviews! Well, I was happy with last night's episode. April gets hottie Matt and she proved to Steph she wasn't a dud. But if they shut down the ER and she loses her job for a third time, someone will die lol.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Somebody tugging on Jackson's arm woke him up from his sleep. Slowly opening his eyes, his blurry vision saw a girl who was too small to be April. He rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger to clear his vision.

"Uncle Jackson, wake up before all the food's gone," the young voice chirped.

Standing beside the bed was either Kayla or Melissa. He still couldn't tell them apart and he felt like a crappy uncle because April could figure out who was who within two seconds. It would be a lot easier if they wore name tags.

Jackson sat up on the bed and groaned. His fiancée and son weren't in the bedroom, already downstairs having breakfast. He was surprised April woke up before he did. He expected her to be hungover, but maybe she managed to hide it well. He looked at one of the twins and decided to guess which twin she was.

"Uhh, Kayla?" He let out a sigh of relief when she nodded. "Am I the last one?"

"Uh huh!" she cheerfully replied, pulling on his arm again. "Auntie April told me to wake you up for breakfast because she wants to show you the farm after that."

"Alright. I'll be down in a minute. Thanks." He smiled as the 8-year old left the bedroom.

The plastic surgeon stretched his arms over his head and yawned. It was only half past nine, which was considered sleeping in for him, but it didn't surprise him at all that the Kepner's were all early risers. Growing up on the farm, they were always awake early to do their chores. Unless he had to report to work earlier than her, April usually woke up before he did in Seattle.

He spent a few minutes freshening up in the bathroom before he joined his in-laws downstairs. The smell of home cooked breakfast woke him up even more. Karen's popular blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage and home fried potatoes waited for him in the dining room.

"Good morning, Jackson," Karen greeted him and pointed at the empty seat next to April. "Have a seat. I just brought out more food, so eat while it's still hot."

"Awesome. Thank you," he acknowledged, then he kissed April's cheek. "You uhh… no hangover?"

"Shh, my mom doesn't know we drank last night," April whispered. She raised her eyebrow at Jackson. "How- how did you know about that anyway?"

"Oh, I woke up in the middle of the night and you weren't in bed. I saw the light from the barn, so I figured you were over there. You and your sisters seemed to be enjoying yourselves, so I went back to bed." He smirked at her while he served himself some food. "And your breath smelled of wine when you came back, so I would've known whether or not I checked on you last night. So, you're good?"

April slightly grimaced. "When my head stops throbbing, yes." She shared a laugh with him. "But Alice was smart enough to bring hangover pills with her, so it's not that bad."

Jackson scanned the dining room. Alice was quietly eating her breakfast, while Libby was making sure Mason finished his oatmeal. "Where's Jordan?"

"He's with Grandma Kate," she answered with a chuckle. "She's been obsessed with him ever since we arrived. I think she's completely enamored by his eyes. She won't stop talking about them. Anyway, how do you feel about getting a free tour of the farm later?"

"I would love to see the whole farm," he accepted the offer and smiled. "Will I get to see you in action? You know, feed the pigs and stuff?"

"No, Carl and Tom took care of that part," she replied, sticking her tongue out at him. "But you can meet them if you want. They're very friendly pigs."

Libby snickered. "Especially the one she named after you," she chimed in.

Jackson chuckled as he ate his breakfast. "You named a pig after me?" he asked amused. April shook her head, visibly embarrassed by her little secret. "Oh, you can't leave me hanging like this. Seriously?"

April softly groaned, rolling her eyes. "Okay, okay. Jacks. His name is Jacks," she confessed and covered her face with her hand. He simply laughed at her, along with Libby and Alice. "It was after I lost my job at Seattle Grace and returned home. I kind of missed you, that's all."

"Just kind of?" he teased.

"Fine. A lot." She moved her hand away only to see him smugly grinning at her. "For your information, we had very lovely conversations before I moved back to Seattle. I confided in him about the pregnancy and he listened."

Alice slapped her hand against the table and laughed out loud. "Geez, Apes. Had you been telling this to people you barely know they would most likely think you're nuts," she quipped, ignoring the slight glare from her sister. "I know it can get lonely on the farm, but…"

"Oh, leave her alone. If she wants to have conversations with Jacks like a looney, there's nothing wrong with that," Libby insisted, then she grinned. "Besides, I used to have pathetic chats with Daisy the cow when I was thirteen."

April smirked at her older sister. "And you always made fun of me by telling everybody that my only friends were the animals on the farm," she reminisced. "No wonder Daisy liked you the most."

Jackson exchanged glances with Alice, who twirled her finger beside her head to imply that her sisters were crazy. He silently laughed at the gesture, then he wrapped his arm around April's shoulder. "I don't mind being named after a pig," he insisted and kissed her temple. "He's not more attractive than me, is he?"

She playfully elbowed his side. "Oh, shush."

* * *

After breakfast, they changed into warmer clothes, so April could give Jackson a tour of the farm. They brought Jordan with them and he was snuggled inside of Jackson's jacket and the beanie on his head kept him warm.

Their first stop was the large barn. April introduced each horse to Jackson. Bernard, Dwight, Ms. Sassy and the horse who scared him the previous night was Konstantine. In the rear section of the barn were the cows. Like the horses, they all had names. Connie, Prudence, Mary Helen and Valerie.

"Moo moo!" Jordan babbled when he saw the cows.

"Yeah, baby. The cows say, 'Moo'!" she squealed with excitement. She was proud of the fact that his picture book of farm animals was paying off at such a young age. April grinned at Jackson. "I swear, our kid's a genius."

Jackson gently rubbed the top of Jordan's head. "I don't doubt that."

Their next stop was the pig barn. It had a foul smell, but what did one expect from pigs? He sucked it up because he wanted to meet the infamous Jacks. He was flattered that she thought about him that much during their time apart.

She introduced the smaller pigs to him, saving Jacks for last. Mr. Piggly, Mr. Wiggly, Garth, Pog and Franklin greeted them with snorts from their respective pig pens. Waiting for them in the biggest pig pen was a 500-pound giant who slowly wandered around its turf.

"Jacks, over here, sweetie pie," the trauma surgeon called out to him. The pig followed her voice and approached the gate holding him inside. It was obvious they had formed a bond while she temporarily lived in Moline since he listened to her, to Jackson's amusement. She reached over the gate and patted the top of his head. "Hey, stud. I missed you."

Jackson stood beside April, so Jordan could peer over the top of the gate. "Look, Jordan. That is a big ass pig."

"Language, honey," she scolded him, then she looked down at her favorite pig. "So, this is Jacks. Isn't he cute?"

"He's a looker, alright," he jokingly said, smiling down at Jacks. "There's a sparkle in his eyes, don't you think?"

She playfully rolled her eyes. "You can poke fun all you want, but pigs are nice companions. They're messy, but they're sweet, which makes it even harder to slaughter them when it's their time to go."

"I overheard last night about the first pig you slaughtered. Sounded like you were traumatized."

"I screamed bloody murder after I shot Mr. Snortles. I was twelve and my dad thought I was ready," she recalled and sighed. "And I wasn't, but I think I toughened up a bit from the experience. Let me show you the cornfields now."

The cornfields weren't very far from the barns. Because it was winter, they were bare, but by how large the area was Jackson could understand why Alice got lost inside when she was a child.

"I know it's nothing right now, but in the summer you'll find sweet corn all over the place. Sometimes people would drive for two hours to buy my dad's crops," she explained. "When I was young my sisters and I would help him plant the seeds. It's amazing how tiny seeds can grow into such tall cornstalks. Well, I thought it was anyway."

"So, what's gonna happen to the farm?" he asked curiously.

April slowly shrugged. "I have no idea. My mom wants to keep it running, but she can't do it alone. Libby's planning on staying here with her for a while and Carl will drive up here from Columbus with the kids on weekends. Hopefully, everything will work out. My dad built this farm right after he graduated college. He wanted his children to grow up in a relaxing, yet disciplined environment."

Jackson placed his hand against his fiancée's lower back. "Looks like he was pretty successful. I don't think running a farm is any easier than surgery. Both can be complicated in their own ways." He kissed the top of her head. "I'm positive this place will be fine."

"I worry more about my mom," she replied with a frown. "Libby won't be staying at the house forever. She's going to be lonely. She and my dad knew each other since they were college students."

"I invited her to stay with us in Seattle whenever she wants," he mentioned. "We have the spare room and she'll be able to spend even more time with Jordan."

"That's very sweet of you, but she can't leave the farm and the animals alone for a long period of time. I know they hired somebody to watch over the place when they visited us, though it's never for more than a month. The only time it was for longer was when I was in the hospital." April buried her face into her hands and sighed. "I'm about to freak out. I don't know what to do. My mom keeps insisting she'll be fine, but I know she's lying so I won't freak out like I'm doing right now."

"Hey, just take a deep breath and relax," Jackson advised as he rubbed her lower back. "You don't have to decide what's best for your family at this very moment. Anyway, you should all make the decision together when things have calmed down."

April looked up at Jackson after following his advice and taking a deep, relaxing breath. "You're right. So umm… Hunt gave me a little bit more time away from the hospital, but you need to be back in Seattle on Monday," she nervously said, biting her lower lip afterwards. "And I was thinking that… I could stay here for Christmas, while you spend it with your mom and Jordan."

He furrowed his eyebrows as he looked back at her. "You want to spend Christmas apart?" he asked disappointedly. "I understand why you want to stay, but… what about Jordan? You're not gonna miss him?"

"Of course, I'll miss him." She tickled their son's cheek with the back of her finger and watched him smile. "It's just one Christmas apart. It's not like we're saying goodbye forever."

"I know," he muttered, grabbing both of her hands. "It's just… I had this whole thing planned for your present and it won't exactly work if we're not in the same state- well, now I sound like a selfish jerk. I shouldn't be complaining. I'm sorry."

"Jackson," she softly said with a concerned look on her face. "What did you get me? We promised not to get each other anything extravagant."

His eyes wandered all over the place as he nervously bit his lower lip. "Actually, I didn't officially get it yet because… umm… how am I supposed to surprise you if you already know what it is?"

She forced herself to laugh. "What could you have possibly gotten that you can't tell me now? A house?" Her fiancé responded by staring down at the ground in silence. She gasped as her eyes widened. "Jackson, did you?"

"Not necessarily."

"What do you mean by that?"

Jackson scratched the back of his head and sighed. "So, you and I have been talking about buying a house after we get married since we got engaged last year. I thought I'd get a head start in house hunting and I narrowed it down to three choices," he admitted. "I was going to drive you to each one, let you check them out and you decide which is best for us. We have to make a decision by the 27th or else the real estate agent will move on to other clients."

April stared at him in shock. When they talked about buying a house after they were married, she truly believed it would happen _after_ they were married. "You went house hunting for Christmas? All I got you was a jacket."

He raised his eyebrow curiously. "The jacket I kept eying at H&M and pretended not to care about or the bomber jacket you caught me staring at online?"

"The jacket from H&M."

"The black one or the chocolate-"

"Stop trying to distract me from the real subject!" She interrupted him, then she pressed her lips together. He wasn't exactly sure what she was thinking, but he was a little afraid. "Are they in safe neighborhoods?"

Jackson nodded. "Yeah, they are. Actually, one of them is in Alex's neighborhood. I made sure to look at places that'll be safe for Jordan to grow up in," he answered, then he sheepishly grinned. "Are you mad? Technically, no house has been bought. In a way, we'd be making this decision together. I can't buy a house and not have you see it first."

He started to feel guilty about his Christmas present idea. Maybe he should have listened to Mark when his mentor told him to stick with jewelry. But he bought April jewelry last year and wanted to change things up. He thought finding a house for them was a little too much, but a nice gesture to show how much he wanted to take care of his family. Perhaps he also should have listened to Alex and bought her lingerie instead because he felt like a dick for not fulfilling the promise they made to each other.

"Listen, I don't want you to think you have to rush home now. I can try to extend the deadline, okay? I'm sure the real estate agent will be understanding," he insisted. "I guess I tried too hard to make you happy, huh?"

April shook her head and smiled. "What makes you think I'm not happy just being with you? This whole house thing is… surprising for sure, but it doesn't mean I hate the idea. I think it's sweet," she assured him, standing on her tip toes to kiss his lips. "Whether we get a house right now or not, I'll still love you no matter what."

Even during one of the roughest times of her life, she still managed to be understanding about everything. "Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve you," he muttered, slightly smiling at her.

"Well, don't. You totally deserve me," she assured him. Her attention shifted to Jordan after he sneezed. "Hmm… we should walk back to the house. I don't want him getting sick."

"Yeah, let's go," he agreed, then they began walking back to the house hand in hand. "I think Jordan should stay with you for Christmas. I know you'll feel better if he's here with you. And your Grandma Kate really loves hanging out with him. Give them more time to get to know each other better."

"Jackson, are you sure? I don't want you to feel lonely on Christmas."

"I won't be. Webber's throwing that big Christmas party on the 24th, so I'll have company even though I'm not really looking forward to seeing my sisters again." Jackson smiled. "We'll FaceTime, so we'll still see each other on Christmas. It'll feel like we never left each other's side at all."

* * *

The living room was filled with laughter as Mason and Maya decided it would be fun to play "Jump on Uncle Jackson". He didn't mind as he lay sprawled out on the floor, while the two children took turns body slamming the pretty boy and giggling when he pretended to be hurt. At first, April was concerned one or all of them would injure themselves, but they seemed to be having fun with Jackson.

Watching her fiancé interact with children was always adorable to her. Prior to Jordan's birth, he never showed much interest in kids. Even when they lived with Meredith, his interactions with Zola weren't often. Becoming a father seemed to change him a lot. He turned out to be very good with children. The biased side of her believed he was the perfect father. She couldn't wait to have more kids with him.

Jackson sat up on the floor, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his shirt. "Oh, man. I'm beat up," he jokingly said as he tried to catch his breath. Mason and Maya were rowdy tiny humans. Adorably fun, yet rowdy. "Time for a break, kiddos."

"Wait. Someone wants in on the action too," April chirped, setting Jordan down on the floor. "Go tackle Daddy, Jordan. Show him your tackling skills."

"Uh oh," he playfully said when his son picked up his chubby legs and waddled towards him. He spread his arms out, grinning as Jordan pounced on him. He caught his baby boy as he fell back onto the floor. "Oh, no! You sacked Daddy!"

April couldn't stop smiling at the sight of her two favorite boys playing. She loved watching Jackson raise Jordan over his head and make funny faces at him. And the way his long arms covered up their baby, so they could snuggle made her want to squeal with excitement. They were just too damn cute, even for Kimmie to ignore.

Standing in the doorway of the living room, she quietly observed her sister's small family. Jackson really wasn't that bad of a guy in her mind, but she had trouble understanding how a nice man like him could turn into a dick in an instant. While she knew he was drunk, she continued to hold a grudge against him because of what happened with his sisters. It was going to take a lot of convincing from April and Jackson to make peace with Samantha and Joslyn.

But she could make an exception with Jackson because April was right – he was nothing like his sisters. He was friendly, thoughtful and a warmhearted person, the complete opposite of the wicked witch Avery's. His _sober_ interactions with the children and April proved that. She also couldn't fault him for barely speaking to Tom. He wasn't a wife beater. An apology was necessary.

"Umm… hey, Jackson," Kimmie called out to her future brother-in-law. "A word, please?"

Jackson pushed himself up from the floor while he carried Jordan with one arm. After handing him over to April, he followed Kimmie outside on the front porch. "Yeah?"

Kimmie folded her arms to provide herself warmth from the chilly air outside. "I… I am sorry for being a bitch to you the last couple of days," she softly replied, making eye contact with him. "And you were right about being out of line. I shouldn't have told my husband you were a wife beater. That was incredibly idiotic and immature of me. I know I haven't shown much appreciation for April over the years, but I'm happy for her. She's marrying a great guy."

He softly smiled at her. "Well, thank you for apologizing," he accepted the apology and held out his hand. "So, we're friends again?"

Instead of shaking his hand, Kimmie gave him a hug, which he didn't mind either. "You're more than a friend, dork. You're family," she answered with a chuckle. "Our dad really did love you too. It's not easy impressing him when it comes to men. Libby and I struggled a bit because he loathed our husbands. I don't blame him, though. It's not like they've been that respectful towards him."

"Did he ever punch either of them?"

"No. They were surprisingly lucky." They shared as a laugh as she pulled away from him. There was one more issue to clear up with Jackson. "Oh, and I'm not sure I'll get along with your sisters. I will gladly make nice with them if they meet Libby and I halfway, but I don't think they ever liked us."

Jackson sighed. "I hardly got along with them growing up, so I wasn't shocked by the way they treated you two. Still, they shouldn't have been so rude to your whole family," he apologetically said. "You guys are good people. Hopefully, when we're all back together for the wedding, things will be better. I have a feeling April will want to kill anybody who even thinks about ruining our wedding."

Kimmie smirked at him. "Just make sure Joslyn is standing away from Libby and I and nobody will end up in the hospital."

* * *

Okay, so maybe being separated during Christmas was harder to accept than he initially expected. Jackson stood by the appetizers, quietly munching away on a mini sandwich, while his family and coworkers mingled amongst each other in Richard's house. The apartment was too quiet for his taste. He missed Jordan's babbles and April baby talking to him. He managed to pull off an extension for the house deadline, so his present wasn't entirely a bust.

"You're awfully quiet," Lexie mentioned as she joined him by the appetizers. She stacked her plate with basically everything set out on the table. "Missing certain people?"

"More than I thought," he glumly replied. "We've talked on the phone as much as possible, but I still miss them. It's Christmas, you know? Who wants to be away from family on Christmas?"

"When are April and Jordan coming back?"

"The 28th. It's not too far away, but it still feels like a long time before we're together again." Jackson gazed down at Lexie's larger belly. He wondered if she would be comfortable walking down the aisle in March when she would be much closer to her due date. There was a high chance she would be delivering earlier than her due date because she was carrying twins. "You'll be okay to walk in March, right?"

Lexie nodded while she bit off the head of a gingerbread man. "I promise I won't let these two babies ruin your wedding day," she confidently said. "Mark said he'd carry me if he has to, but I think he only told me that to make me feel better about looking like a hippo."

Jackson laughed. "Nah, I don't doubt he would do it. Have you two found out the sex?"

"We decided to wait until they're born. No matter how much I whine at our appointments, I told Mark to make sure we don't find out the sex. Being surprised is fun too," she added.

"Jackson," Catherine called out from the kitchen. "You have a phone call."

"Excuse me," he politely said to Lexie before he joined Mama Avery in the kitchen. "Who is it?"

Catherine handed her cell phone to Jackson. "It's your father. Be nice," she warned him. She opted to keep him company and to ensure he wouldn't be extremely rude to Harper Jr.

Jackson cleared his throat as he held the phone against his ear. "Hello?"

_"Hi, Jackson. Umm… I know it's a day early, but I just wanted to greet you Merry Christmas. I don't have your number, so I called your mother. She said you were around and I thought we could talk for a minute," he explained._

"Oh. Uhh, actually, it's a good thing you called because I have some things to say to you as well."

_"I've done a lot of thinking since my visit to Seattle and I have to say I agree with you. Being at your wedding will only create drama that you don't need on your special day, so it's best for everyone if I don't come."_

Jackson furrowed his eyebrows. "Wait, what?"

_"You never wanted me there, so I'm going to respect your wishes and stay away," Harper Jr. sighed. "But I wish you the best, son. April's a wonderful woman. She's good for you. I just hope I haven't messed up your relationship. It seemed to me you two were having problems after I showed up."_

"No, you haven't. Wait a minute, Dad-"

_"You take care, alright? Merry Christmas, Jackson."_

"Dad-" He groaned when his father hung up before he could finish. "I can't believe that man. Just when I finally have things to tell him _he's_ the one blowing me off. I don't know why he even bothered to reach out to me if he's just going to be distant again."

Catherine raised her eyebrow at Jackson. "What did he tell you?"

Jackson handed his mother's cell phone back to her. "He's not coming to the wedding anymore," he replied irritably.

"But isn't that what you wanted, baby? Why are you getting upset over it?"

"Because now I want him to be there," he answered and frowned. "Ever since Joe died… my feelings about Dad have changed. If he's serious about wanting to be involved in my life again, then I want to give him a shot, but his call makes it sound like he's done trying. Has he always given up on things this easily?"

"No. Your father was a hardworking man. Giving up wasn't an option until his drinking got out of hand," Catherine recalled. She gently rubbed Jackson's shoulder. "He loves you, Jackson. He's only doing what he feels is best for you."

"Well, choosing to abandon me again isn't what's best for me," he muttered.

"Honey, he's not abandoning you again. I'm sure he'd love to keep in touch with you," she assured him. "He just doesn't want to stir up drama with your grandfather at your wedding."

Jackson rolled his eyes. "That makes him a coward. If he wants to make up for his mistakes, that includes Grandpa. They have unfinished business between them."

"Okay, if you sincerely want him at your wedding without regretting it, then tell him how you feel," she advised. "He'll listen this time. Anyway, you shouldn't worry about that right now, dear. Also, can you smile a bit? You look like a kid whose lunch money was stolen from the big bully."

"I'm sorry. I'm bumming out because April and Jordan aren't here. I thought I'd be alright, but I'm not," he admitted, then he sighed. "And now this whole thing with Dad deciding not to come to the wedding. Did he seriously have to tell me this before Christmas? I get he wanted to greet me, but he could've left that part out for later."

"RSVP deadline is January 10th. Perhaps he didn't want to wait anymore to tell you. I'm sure he had been pondering about his decision ever since his visit went badly." Catherine motioned her arm towards the kitchen door. "C'mon, try to have a good time tonight. Figure out what to do with your father afterwards."

Jackson took a deep breath before he followed his mother out of the kitchen and back into the living room. He normally loved Christmas, but this year's was turning into one bummer after another.

* * *

"Hey, look! It's Daddy!" April pointed at her iPad screen with Jordan sitting on her lap. It was Christmas morning and the two of them were having a FaceTime chat with Jackson in her bedroom. "Say, 'Hi', to Daddy!"

"Hi!" the baby boy chirped, making his father smile. He pointed at the screen as he looked up at April. "Dada!"

"Yes, that's Dada," she replied with her baby voice before she looked back at Jackson. "Merry Christmas, babe!"

Jackson waved at his iPhone screen after his fiancée waved at him first. "Merry Christmas, you two. I miss you guys. Being a good boy on the farm, Jordan?"

Jordan simply giggled in response. April laughed and kissed the top of his head. "Yes, he's been good, but he misses Daddy too. How's it going over there?"

"Okay, I guess. My sisters weren't a pain for once, but… my dad called last night."

"Oh?" She quickly raised both of her eyebrows. "What did he want?"

"He uhh… politely declined his invitation to come to the wedding," he reluctantly said. "And I'm actually quite annoyed by this."

April stared at Jackson confused. "Why? Shouldn't you be happy he's not coming?"

"A month ago, yes, but now I think he _should_ be there. I wanted to tell him, but he hung up so fast. I could tell he didn't do it because he didn't want to go. He did it to make me happy and I'm not."

"Why don't you call him back? I mean, if it's bothering you that much, you two should talk again," she suggested.

He slowly nodded. "I know, but I wanted to see you and Jordan first. It's Christmas for crying out loud," he insisted and softly laughed. "You two are pretty much the only things keeping this day from being completely disappointing."

"Aww, we miss you too. We'll be back in a few days and everything will be back to normal – sort of." Things would be back to normal if Big Joe was still alive. "Does anyone besides Mark know about the house hunting?"

"No. I want to keep that a secret until we officially have a house."

The couple spoke for another half hour before it was time to temporarily say their goodbyes. Jordan had become fussy and wanted breakfast, so April was forced to cut their conversation short.

Jackson waved at his screen one last time. "I'll call you again later, okay? I've got some business to take care of."

April nodded and blew a kiss to him. "Okay. Love you."

"Love you both too. Bye."

After hanging up his cell phone, Jackson stood up from the bench he was sitting on and crossed the street. He approached the front door of a tan colored house, taking a deep breath before he rang the doorbell.

As the door opened, a very surprised Harper Jr. stood in the doorway. "Jackson?"

Despite the busy holiday season, he managed to book a last minute red eye to Virginia. Catherine had his father's address, so he was able to find his home. A phone call wasn't going to fix their broken relationship.

Jackson stuffed his hands inside of his jacket pockets, his duffel bag hanging from his left shoulder. "Hey, Dad."

* * *

**I've got 4 chapters left in this one, so expect some time jumping starting with the next update. Anyway, let me know what you think please! :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**As usual, thank you for the reviews. And I mentioned before, this one will have a couple of time jumps. Anyway... read, review, happy dance, whatever you want to do!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

They stood face to face just like in North Carolina. Harper Jr. silently stared at Jackson, a mixture of surprise and worry on his face. What was his son doing in Norfolk and on Christmas Day? A part of him feared his son showed up to break his nose again, but he didn't have the scowl on his face like he did during their previous encounters.

Catherine thought he was a little crazy for deciding to fly to Virginia during one of the busiest holidays of the year. She didn't believe he would make it out in time, but his first class ticket he paid for said otherwise. They agreed not to tell Harper Sr. or his sisters where he was going. Instead, they assumed he was flying back to Ohio to spend Christmas with April. He wouldn't have had the time to explain why he was going to visit his estranged father anyway. Plus, he preferred not hearing the long lectures his sisters would have given him if they knew the truth.

On the plane ride to Virginia, he began to think maybe he was out of his mind. He would never have bothered to think about visiting Harper Jr. a month ago. But here he was, standing outside of his father's front door hoping he wouldn't force him to stay out in the snowy weather. And the plastic surgeon was most likely interrupting whatever plans his family had for Christmas. He couldn't exactly change his mind now.

"Jackson, what… what are you doing here?" Harper Jr. asked curiously.

"Alright, I know I should've called ahead of time, but I didn't think I could tell you everything I want to tell you over the phone. You never gave me a chance to speak when you called, so I thought it'd be better if we talked in person," Jackson nervously explained. "I'm not here to kick your ass, Dad."

"That's a relief. I told my wife I broke my nose after clumsily running into a door," he answered with a chuckle. Harper Jr. opened the door wider. "Come inside. It's freezing."

"Thanks." Jackson entered the house and quickly scanned the living room. It was heavily decorated for Christmas. He couldn't recall his living room in Boston being filled with decorations. Nobody had the time for it. They assembled the fake tree, threw ornaments on it and that was it. Unlike the Kepner's, they were pretty damn lazy when it came to showing their holiday spirit. "Uhh, nice place."

Harper Jr. closed the front door. "Thank you. Do you want some coffee? I should introduce you to the family too," he offered.

"Coffee sounds good right now. Thanks," he replied, though he was partially distracted by the living room.

Walking towards the fireplace, he examined the various picture frames sitting above it. In the center was a wedding photo of Harper Jr. with his wife and stepson. They all appeared happy to be a family. He sighed as he moved on to the next picture. Most of the pictures consisted of family portraits. He always found professional portraits to be cheesy, especially coming from a family who was forced to take them for almost every occasion that advertised the Avery name. That didn't stop April from dragging him to a studio over the summer, so they could take their first official family portrait with Jordan.

Jackson had been staring at the different pictures that he hadn't noticed Harper Jr.'s stepson walking into the living room. "Uhh, hi?" the teenager awkwardly greeted him, startling him in the process.

"Umm, hey." He held out his hand. "I'm Jackson Avery."

"Oh! You're- you're the plastic surgeon!" he excitedly replied and shook his hand. He stood at 6'5" and he had short brown hair. "I'm Dean. Our dad told me you're like this kick ass plastic surgeon in Seattle."

_Our dad._ Hearing that made Jackson smile. Harper Jr. wasn't kidding when he told him his other family knew of his existence. And it didn't sound like he was a brief mention either. His father was raving about him even after the ugly visit last month. Now he felt like an even bigger douche.

"Something like that, I guess," Jackson guiltily responded.

"So, what's it like? Do you get to touch a lot of boobs and asses?"

He laughed and shook his head. "It's not just boobs and asses. I fix other things too," he insisted, then he gestured his hand towards the Duke basketball t-shirt Dean was wearing. "I heard Coach K's recruiting you. How was that trip?"

"It was really cool. I signed with them a week after my trip," Dean proudly announced. "I can't wait. I'm thinking about studying pre-med. I want to be a kick ass surgeon too. Got any advice?"

"Well, balancing athletics and academics isn't easy, so devote equal time to both. Don't just focus on basketball. It's hard work, but if you're confident in becoming a doctor, then you'll be fine," Jackson advised.

Harper Jr. entered the living room with a cup of coffee and his wife following him from behind. "Ah, you've met Dean," he said, handing the mug to Jackson. He placed his hand against his wife's back and smiled. "And this is my wife, Farrah."

"Oh, it's so nice to finally meet you," Farrah gushed as she hugged him. "What a lovely surprise. Harper's told us a lot about you."

"He has?"

"Yes. He said you have a little boy of your own. Hopefully, we'll meet him too."

Jackson grew slightly uncomfortable. Just how much did this family know about him? And what _didn't_ they know? Since Harper Jr. never told them about how he actually broke his nose they probably assumed he was a darling angel who could do no wrong. And his father had no idea what happened between him and April after he left Seattle. He wondered if they knew he declined his invitation to the wedding.

Harper Jr. pointed at a nearby room. "Jackson, why don't we talk in my study?"

He nodded in agreement and followed him into the study. Setting his duffel bag on the floor, he sat down in front of Harper Jr.'s desk and sipped his coffee. There was one bookshelf holding medical textbooks and journal collections. When he thought about it they were the same books that went missing after his father moved out. He was surprised he cared enough to bring them with him. Maybe there was a chance he would give surgery another shot, but that wasn't the case anymore.

The elder Avery picked up a picture frame from his desk and held it out in front of Jackson. "Do you remember when we took this?"

It was a photo of the two of them from years ago. Jackson appeared to be two or three years old. He was dressed in a Harvard shirt and sitting on Harper Jr.'s lap. They were at a football stadium from what he could see.

"No, not really," he admitted. "When was this?"

"You were three years old. I took you to your first Harvard-Yale game," he recalled. "Harvard came out victorious in The Game. We had a good time even though you didn't fully understand what was happening."

Jackson continued to stare at the picture. In all honesty, he couldn't remember anything about that day. While he was obviously very young, there were a few things he did remember at three years old, but the Harvard game wasn't one of them.

"Is this the only picture you have of us?"

"No. There's more," he answered, turning around the other picture frames sitting on his desk. "I took some pictures with me when I moved out."

The plastic surgeon scanned through the other photos. A family portrait of him with his sisters when he was about five years old. Samantha's high school graduation. Joslyn's high school graduation. Of course, a picture from his high school graduation was missing because he already ditched them. No pictures of Harper Sr., which wasn't shocking to him.

"So, why are you covering up for me?" Jackson inquired. "Farrah and Dean seem to think I'm this clean cut guy and I'm not. I've done a lot of stupid things, some of them happening when you were in Seattle."

Harper Jr. sighed as he sat down behind his desk. "I didn't tell them you broke my nose because they don't need to be involved in the Avery drama. What happened between us isn't their problem to fix. It's mine. And you're not a bad person, Jackson. I'm not going to tell them you're a horrible person behind your back."

"I just don't understand why you want to protect me after the crap I pulled."

"Because you're still my son. You had every right to be upset with me. Maybe you could've reacted a little less harshly, but this all comes back to me. I screwed up. I wasn't there for you. It's not like I came into Seattle thinking everything would be great between us." He nodded his head towards his son. "Now, it's your turn. Why are you here?"

Jackson sipped his coffee one more time before he set it on the desk. "I came here to tell you that I want you at my wedding. A phone call would've been easier, but you needed to hear it from me in person."

Harper Jr. softly chuckled. "You came all the way out here overnight just to tell me that?"

"No. There's more," he insisted. "You and Grandpa have unfinished business to take care of just like you and I do. You've spent all these years avoiding him and being afraid of how he'll react if he ever saw your face again. I don't want the same thing to happen to us. If you're serious about being in my life again, then I want to see you try. Changing your mind about coming to the wedding makes me think you don't want to try anymore."

"I do want to try, Jackson, but you made it clear that you didn't want me there, so why the sudden change of heart?"

Jackson rubbed his eyes. He didn't get much sleep on the airplane. He was too busy writing mental notes in his head about everything he wanted to talk about with Harper Jr. "After you left, April and I had problems. Worse than when you were in Seattle."

"What kind of problems?"

"Well, we had a big fight about her inviting you to our wedding. After that, things blew up on Thanksgiving. I blurted out to Grandpa, Sam and Jos that we saw each other in Durham and in Seattle. It turned into another blow up with April and… I hit her," he regretfully explained. "I was drunk at a bar, but it shouldn't have happened."

"Oh, wow," Harper Jr. murmured, slightly shaking his head. "Is… is everything okay now?"

"Yeah. I mean, after being kicked out of my apartment and forced to live with Mom and Webber for almost a week," he said, scratching the back of his head. Jackson shook his head in disgust. "I was such an idiot. For a while, I wasn't sure if we were still getting married. I felt like I screwed everything up and I blamed you for it all going downhill. We were happy without any drama until we saw each other in Durham – I hated you so much."

He frowned as he thought about Big Joe. "April's dad passed away two weeks ago," he glumly continued. "He was a great guy. I felt comfortable having conversations with him about anything. He thought of me as a son. I rarely had that feeling when you were around. After he died, I started thinking. April once told me that you and I meeting again was fate. I thought it was bullshit, but maybe she's right. If something were to happen to you without closure between us, I probably wouldn't be able to forgive myself for treating you the way I did. So, I'm allowing you back into my life if you want to be."

Harper Jr. smiled at Jackson as he stood up from his seat. Walking around his desk, he waited for his son to do the same before he gave him a hug. It was their first real hug in ages. His father wasn't much of a hugger during his teenage years, so this moment was significant. "I don't know how many times I need to apologize to you, but I promise things will be different now."

Jackson found himself getting teary-eyed and quickly blinked his eyes to dry them. "Please come to the wedding," he pleaded. "Actually, Sam and Jos are expecting to see you. They want to know how you're doing."

"How are those two?" he asked, pulling away from his son.

"Doing well. Annoying, but well," he answered and shared a laugh with Harper Jr. "They've got Grandpa's work ethic. All work and no play. Jos switched to the dark side and works at Yale. Sam's in California at Stanford."

He patted Jackson's shoulder. "I'm looking forward to seeing you all together then. Although, your grandfather won't be so welcoming, I know that. However, you're right. We have unfinished business. It's about time we faced each other."

"Thank you. This does mean a lot to me now than before."

"Why don't we carry on our conversation over breakfast? We can talk about whatever you want," Harper Jr. insisted as he led Jackson out of the study.

"You know, I've got a story to tell you about my first meeting with April's father," he added and laughed to himself. "It involves one of us throwing a fist and the other getting a black eye."

Harper Jr. smirked at him. "Sounds like a very interesting story. We have a lot to catch up on, son."

* * *

It was time for another FaceTime chat with April. Jackson called in at five o'clock Pacific time, right on the dot. She sat on the couch, iPad in hand and grinned brightly when her fiancé appeared on the screen.

"Hey, again. How's your day so far?" she cheerfully asked.

"As a matter of fact, it's been very, very good," he replied with a smile on his face. "I uhh… haven't been completely honest with you, though. I'm not in Seattle right now, not since last night."

April raised her eyebrow. "So, where are you?" He didn't quite answer her, but instead turned his cell phone around towards Harper Jr., who waved at the camera. She squealed in response, eliciting a confused look from Alice, who was sitting beside her as she watched TV. "Oh my God! Oh. My. God! Oh my God!"

Alice shook her head as she faced the TV again. "Having an orgasm via FaceTime – that's a first."

"Shut up, Al." She couldn't stop smiling at the sight of Jackson and his father together. There wasn't a shed of blood on either of them, so she suspected this was good news. "You… you made up with your dad? Is this real life?"

Jackson chuckled. "Yes, it's all real and yes, he's coming to the wedding for sure."

"You have no idea how elated I am about this. You sounded upset about your dad not coming to the wedding. I can't believe you actually flew to Virginia to convince him to go." April was thrilled that Jackson and Harper Jr. reconciled their differences. Losing Big Joe was still heartbreaking, but she was relieved to have another father coming into her life. She enjoyed his company even when Jackson didn't. "So, what have you been doing over there?"

"Catching up, exchanging stories. Where's Jordan?"

"Where else? Being cuddled and hounded by Grandma Kate's arms," she quipped. "It'll only take him a minute or two to fall asleep later. She exhausted him today. Oh! And my mom's coming home with us to Seattle for a month, if that's okay with you."

"Of course it is. She's welcome to stay for longer if she wants." Jackson pointed at Harper Jr. "Dad's coming to visit us again next month for a weekend and I promised him it'll be more enjoyable than his last one."

"I can't wait!" April excitedly replied. The holiday season wasn't so depressing for her after all. She always believed a negative would eventually transform into a positive. It happened a lot sooner than she thought.

* * *

A few days later, April and Jordan were back in Seattle, bringing along Karen to stay with them at the apartment. Jackson returned the day before after a pleasant reunion with Harper Jr. He never felt so happy to see his father until recently. It was a huge weight off of his shoulders having reached an understanding between them after all of these years of not knowing if he was alive or dead. He hadn't told Samantha or Joslyn about his visit to Norfolk. He decided to wait until they were back in town for the wedding.

The next business to take care of was completing Jackson's Christmas present and choosing a house. Karen stayed at home with Jordan, while they used their free time to check out the houses he wanted her to see.

Driving closer to the first house, he raised his free hand and covered April's eyes with it. He snickered when she tried to pry his hand away from her face, but he didn't budge. "C'mon, where's the fun in already seeing it? I want you to be a little surprised."

"Well, don't crash the car trying to blind me," she teased before she finally relaxed.

He parked the car in the driveway of the first house they were checking out. "Keep them closed, okay? I'll come help you out of the car. No cheating, April," he ordered. Practically jumping out of the driver's seat, he ran around the vehicle while keeping a close eye on her.

After he helped her outside, he used both of his hands to cover her eyes as he carefully led her towards the front of the house. Jackson stood behind her, dropping his hands and kissing her cheek. "Okay, you can open them."

She opened her eyes and was immediately in awe of the house. It was a light blue two-story house with a big front yard and a white picket fence. A porch swing by the front door. Two-car garage with a basketball hoop attached above the driveway. It screamed suburbia. She scanned her surroundings and knew the neighborhood looked familiar.

"This is where Mer's frat house is," she pointed out. Looking back at the house, she quickly fell in love with it. Not a flashy home, but still beautiful in her eyes. She couldn't help but wonder why nobody lived in this particular home. "Can we go inside?"

"Yup. Got the keys with me." Jackson slipped his hand into hers as they walked towards the front door. He opened the door and let her walk inside first. "Take all the time you want. The other two houses aren't going anywhere."

April admired the large living room to the left of the entrance. Hardwood floors. She loved homes with hardwood floors because they were easier to clean than carpet. "This is spacious."

Jackson walked into the living room and towards another room. "This room here is a study, but it can be turned into a bedroom. So technically, we could have up to five bedrooms in this house." He smirked at April. "I know you want more little Avery's running around, so I kept that in mind when searching for houses with multiple bedrooms. And of course, whenever family comes here to stay at least we'll have a guest room or two for them."

"Little Avery's," she repeated and giggled. "If they're all hyper like Jordan, we're gonna have our hands full. Oh! I want to see the kitchen. That's a big deal to me."

She rushed out of the living room before he could respond. By the sounds of her excited shrieks, he guessed she was a fan. He entered the kitchen to find her smiling as her eyes darted all over the place. It was twice the size of their dinky kitchen at their apartment.

"You like?"

"I love," she gushed, stroking the island counter with her palm. "I want this house."

Jackson softly laughed, raising both of his eyebrows in amusement. "But you haven't seen the whole house yet. We still have two more houses to check out."

"It doesn't matter. The kitchen won me over," she enthusiastically replied, but her face suddenly dropped. "There's nothing uber creepy about this house, right? Like, nobody murdered anybody and it's not haunted? Or it's secretly falling apart?"

"No," he chuckled. "Why do you think that?"

"Because this house is gorgeous. Who wouldn't want to live in it?"

"You're right, but I'm 100% positive nobody was murdered in this house," he assured her. Jackson led April out of the kitchen and up the stairs. He stopped them just outside of the master bedroom. "Hold on. I want to practice."

"Practice what?" The trauma surgeon squeaked when he scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the master bedroom. She laughed as she wrapped her arm around his neck. "You're a sweetheart."

Jackson shrugged, flashing his pretty boy smile at her. "It's a gift," he gloated before he quickly pointed out the walk-in closet. "I have a feeling you'd appreciate this too."

After he set her down, April literally skipped towards the closet and stood in the doorway. "I don't even know if I have enough clothes for half of this closet. Your shoes will most likely take up most of it," she joked, then she spun around to face her fiancé. "You have good taste in clothes, food and just about everything else. Add houses to that list."

Jackson approached her, placing his hands on her hips with a grin on his face. "I want the best for my wife and son. Are you absolutely sure you don't want to look at the other houses?"

"I'm very sure. I already love this house, Jackson. We can afford this, right?" she asked worriedly.

"Don't even worry about that, April. If I didn't think we could afford to live here, I wouldn't have given it a look," he insisted, giving her waist a gentle squeeze. "We can do this."

"I never doubted we could."

"Then, I guess we found our house," he approved, kissing her lips. "There's a swimming pool in the backyard too."

April playfully pinched his cheeks. "You really are good at finding the perfect house. When should we move in? I mean, when this house is officially ours."

"End of January? That gives us plenty of time to deal with our landlord and maybe do a little furniture shopping for the extra rooms. Karev and Banks only live a few blocks away from here. I'll force them to help us move since they lived in the apartment too." Jackson couldn't hold his excitement any longer. He picked her up and whirled around in a circle. "We're getting a house!"

"We're finally growing up," she sarcastically said, sharing a laugh with him before they finished touring the rest of the house.

* * *

Alex and Kevin cautiously walked into Jackson and April's new home carrying one of the couches they brought from the apartment. Their goal of moving into their own house was successful. Mark and Lexie also dropped by to help out, though the latter spent her time eating in the kitchen instead. She was almost six months pregnant with the twins and her husband banned her from carrying any boxes, unless it contained the pizza they ordered along the way. Alice also came to help and to spend time with Karen, who was flying back to Ohio the next day.

The two men set down the couch in the living room, then Alex dropped face first onto the cushions. "All of this heavy work and Avery's not even here to lend a hand," he whined. "Where the hell is he anyway?"

"Still at the airport. His father's flight was delayed, but he didn't know that until he got there," April answered and rolled her eyes. "I told him to check its status beforehand, but does he listen? Of course not."

"Pshh, he did it on purpose, so he wouldn't have to deal with any of this moving crap," Alex scoffed. He partially lifted his head to look up at April. "Hey, uhh… you think I can crash here tonight?"

"Why? You live three blocks away!"

The peds fellow sat up on the couch with a small scowl on his face. "Because Wilson's been getting on my freakin' nerves the last couple of weeks. She keeps bitching about how I've been purposely being mean to her when she's on my service, but I treat every resident like that," he complained.

"That's what he claims," Kevin chimed in. "You don't live with them. Trust me."

There were rumblings at the hospital that Alex and Jo had some sort of thing going on between them, but they both denied it. He claimed she was too much like a sister to him. She also insisted that he was more of a big brother to her. Nobody knew the truth except for those two, but neither of them would admit anything. April wasn't sure what to believe. She used to think he slept with all of the female staff at the hospital except for a handful of people, specifically their friends who she knew would never sacrifice their vaginas to him. Despite the embarrassing on-call room incident, she was thankful hers was kept safe and tidy for somebody more worthy… and who didn't have a history of contracting syphilis.

"Dude, whatever. She whines too much. More than Kepner, which says a lot," Alex teased.

"Thanks. I'm flattered," she sarcastically remarked. "And no, you can't crash here. My mom has one room and Jackson's dad will have another. Jordan has his own room and well, obviously you're not sleeping in mine."

"Then give me the couch. I don't care," he replied, spreading his arms out and resting them against the top of the couch. "I've slept on this couch before. It's comfortable."

April waved her hands and shook her head. "No. You cannot sleep here, Alex. You can come over and eat our food if you want, but no crashing. Jackson and I are homeowners now just like you. This isn't a frat house like the old days with Meredith. Keep your skanks or whatever you've been doing with Jo at your house. Got it?"

Alex folded his arms. "You're still a freak and I hate you. Just saying."

"Oh, please. You'll be bowing down to me when you start coming over every day to eat dinner with us," she argued and walked away from him. She entered the kitchen where Lexie was standing by the island counter and stuffing her mouth with another slice of pizza. "Why don't you have a seat? Your right leg must be sore from all of that standing."

"I know, but every time I sit down it feels like my belly pushes up towards my chest. It's uncomfortable as hell." Lexie leaned back against the counter and sighed. "I'm not even in my third trimester, but my body looks like I'm ready to pop soon. Lord, help me."

April grabbed a slice and started eating it. "Twins tend to arrive earlier than their due date, but let's not hope for that yet. It would be too early right now."

Lexie pointed at her belly. "And you know what? These two mini Sloan's won't stop kicking. It's like they're fighting over who's the best. I'm number one. No, I'm number one." She looked down as she rested her hand against it. "Stop kicking so much! It makes me anxious!"

The redhead giggled. "I think they're playing. Try to relax, Lex."

Karen walked into the kitchen with Jordan. "Guess who woke up from his nap?" She greeted them and handed her grandson to April. "He's a little grumpy, though."

Jordan pouted while he rubbed his eyes with his hands, which made the three women laugh. "Just a little grumpy?" April teased and kissed her baby boy's forehead. She gently patted his back when he rested his head against her shoulder. "Looks like he wasn't ready to wake up yet. Too noisy in the house."

Alice was the next person to walk inside, carrying a small box. "Apes, where do you want this? There's like a bunch of red notebooks in here. Why so many?"

"Oh, I jotted down a bunch of notes when I first started my residency at Mercy West and continued on until my fourth year. I stopped doing it because I was paranoid about people stealing my notebook and reading it," April recalled as her eyes slowly gazed over at Lexie.

Lexie dismissively waved her hand. "That was a long time ago. I apologized," she replied with a smirk.

April softly laughed. "Well, you weren't the first person to do it."

"Are they like your medical diaries?" Alice inquired.

"Uhh, yeah… so if you read any of them, I will smother you with a pillow in your sleep," she warned. "You can put that box in my bedroom, but _no reading_."

"Fine, fine."

April watched her youngest sister leave the kitchen, but she didn't completely trust her. "Mom, can you follow her, please?"

Karen laughed as she left the kitchen. "Now I'm curious to know what you wrote in those notebooks."

Lexie held back her laugh when April rolled her eyes in response. "The other ones must contain juicy stuff because the one I stole wasn't _that_ bad," she recalled, then she slyly grinned. "So, why _did_ you get a nose job?"

"I broke my nose," April groaned. "During my intern year, Percy whacked me in the face trying to catch a foul ball at a Mariners game and his elbow practically shattered it. Got it fixed at Mercy West, so no. It wasn't for cosmetic reasons, which I'm sure you thought it was for."

"True, but I always thought you were the type of person who wouldn't go anywhere near plastic surgery – well, Jackson's an exception." Lexie decided to change the subject, lowering her voice to a whisper when she asked, "How's your mom doing? Is she feeling better?"

April nodded and sadly smiled at her friend. "Yeah, she's showing a bit more happiness than when she first got here. It hasn't been easy for her – or Alice and I – but we're all pulling through together. Jackson's been a big help too."

Mark walked into the kitchen after helping Alex and Kevin bring in the other couch. "Where the hell is your fiancé?" he asked irritably as he opened a water bottle. "He can't ask his boss to help him move in and not help at all."

"For the 50th time, he's picking up his dad at the airport," April replied, sounding just as annoyed as Mark.

"The guy left about three hours ago. He's ditching."

"He is _not_ ditching. Harper's flight was delayed, so he has to wait longer," she insisted.

"Stop trying to defend him, April. He totally ditched us," Lexie agreed with her husband. "It's okay. More pizza for me."

A half an hour later, Jackson arrived with Harper Jr. "Hey, we're here," he called out from the front door. By then everything had been brought into the house, though the furniture still required some rearranging. Everybody was in the kitchen either relaxing or eating.

"It's about damn time, Avery!" Alex chided while he ate a slice of pizza. "Did you get lost on your way to the airport and drive into Oregon? You were gone too freakin' long."

Jackson forced himself to laugh. "Funny you ask because-"

"You ditched, so you wouldn't have to break your back carrying furniture around," Mark sternly answered for him.

"I'm getting married in less than two months. I can't risk any injuries," he insisted, eliciting eye rolls from his peers. Jackson gestured his hand towards Harper Jr. and sheepishly grinned. "So, here's my dad."

April quickly walked towards Harper Jr. and hugged him. "It's so nice to see you again!" she cheerfully greeted him. She pulled away from her future father-in-law before she started introducing the others. "The one holding Jordan is my mom, Karen. Next to her is my sister, Alice. You already know Mark Sloan and that's his wife, Lexie. Then there's Kevin Banks and the sourpuss is Alex Karev."

Mark approached his former patient and shook his hand. "Your nose looks amazing, if I say so myself," he bragged with a grin on his face. He turned to look at Jackson. "Don't break this one or I'll kick your ass."

Jackson playfully slapped Mark's chest with the back of his hand, then he placed it on Harper Jr.'s shoulder. "Excuse us for a couple of minutes. I want to show my dad the house." He began walking out of the kitchen with his father. "C'mon, Dad."

Harper Jr. followed him as they toured the house. "Your own house. I'm proud."

"Thanks. It still hasn't fully hit me yet that I'm seriously grown up. I mean, I felt like I grew up a lot when I became a doctor. Then Jordan happened and I realized I had more growing up to do. Now I own a house and I'm getting married." He took a deep breath and sighed. "I'm getting nervous. I'm not gonna lie."

"It's okay to be nervous. Marriage is a big, big step. So is buying a house," his father assured him and smiled. "You have a beautiful family, a steady job – you're successful and happy. I couldn't be more proud of you, son."

_Son_. It wasn't until recently that Jackson had heard Harper Jr. calling him that. He was used to Big Joe referring to him as son, but not his father. Although awkward at first, he loved hearing it now.

* * *

**Jumping ahead even more to pre-wedding festivities in the next chapter, so look forward to that ;)**


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks for the reviews! So, I'm already impatient for next week's episode. It looks like we'll get to see April become a badass again, plus seeing Jackson and Matt in the same room with her *swoon***

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Two days. First, the bachelorette party would take place at the new house, while the men had a date with the Seattle Sounders. Then, the wedding rehearsal and dinner would happen the day after that. And finally, _the_ day they were waiting for would finally be here. Two more days until April and Jackson's wedding and the anxiety level was off the charts. Both of them refused to show how nervous they were, but deep inside they wanted to freak out. Neither of them could believe their special day was just around the corner. A variety of emotions were running through their heads that it distracted them at work. Relatives and friends were flying in from all over the country and slowly trickling into Seattle. A smooth, drama free weekend was all they asked for, so they hoped their sisters could survive a few days without killing each other.

April was slightly worried about what Alice planned for the bachelorette party. Between the two sisters, she was definitely a bit more conservative than her baby sister. She had been dreading whatever games she had in mind, especially with Karen being there. Regardless of her mother's presence, she expected to be embarrassed a lot by her relatives and coworkers.

Jackson trotted down the stairs holding Jordan in his arms. Their son would be joining him at the Seattle Sounders game. Alex made the arrangements, managing to reserve a suite for them. It was the next best option, in the peds surgeon's opinion, since the strip club was banned. At least they could still drink and enjoy themselves in the suite.

"Aww, look at how cute you are in your Sounders jersey," April gushed, tickling Jordan's cheek with her finger.

Her fiancé was also wearing a Sounders jersey and smugly grinned at her. "Thanks, babe. Green's a nice color on me, huh?"

"I was talking to Jordan, but you look cute too," she replied with a smirk. April turned her attention back to their baby boy. "Can you say, 'Go Sounders?'"

"Guh S'ders!" Jordan chirped and bashfully grinned.

Jackson smiled and held up his hand in front of him. "Good job. High five, buddy." He watched the little guy's hand gently slap his much larger palm. "Alright, we should go. Are Carl, Tom and the kids ready?"

"Yes. They're waiting for you in the living room," April answered.

"You know, even though Kimmie apologized for calling me a wife beater, her douchey husband hasn't," he whispered to her. "Does he have to come?"

April playfully slapped Jackson's shoulder. "Yes, he has to come. No males allowed at my bachelorette party," she reminded him and smiled. "You don't have to talk to him if you don't want to, okay? But be nice."

"We'll see," he replied with a smirk. "Depends just how much he pushes my buttons, if he goes there."

"No black eyes or bruised knuckles before our wedding," she warned, then she kissed him goodbye. "Have fun!"

After Jackson left the house with his future in-laws, April returned to the living room where her sisters and Karen were finishing up the preparations for her bachelorette party. "Okay, the guests should be arriving any minute now."

"Does that include the Wicked Witches of the East?" Kimmie quipped, referring to Samantha and Joslyn.

"Yes, and there will be no name calling or anything like that tonight. We're supposed to be having fun and I don't want anything ruining this weekend," April advised. "If they're fake nice, be fake nice back. I don't care. No drama this weekend, please."

The doorbell rang about 20 minutes later. Alice, who decided she would be the official party greeter as the maid of honor, opened the front door. The first guests to arrive were Catherine, Samantha and Joslyn. By the way Jackson's older sisters slowly eyed the house, Alice could sense they were already judging.

"Hey, come in!" she cheerfully greeted them, exchanging a hug with Catherine and an awkward, barely touching hug with the other two. "Everything's set up in the living room, so make yourselves comfortable."

Samantha entered the house, continuing to examine Jackson and April's house like it was foreign territory. "This house is… homely," she reluctantly said. "It's nice – compared to the other homes we passed by."

Alice forced a grin as she stood by the entrance of the living room. "Apes, your in-laws are here," she called out through gritted teeth. She saw the dreaded expressions on Libby and Kimmie's faces. Because nobody else arrived yet, they would likely be obligated to speak to the Avery's.

Catherine boastfully made her presence known, approaching April with her arms wide open. "April, my dear! It's nearly here, your big day!" she exclaimed, hugging the trauma surgeon. "Thinking about backing out yet?"

"What? No! No, of course not," the redhead nervously replied with wide eyes. "No backing out. I've been waiting over a year for this day, so I'm definitely not backing out."

"Good, because I won't be getting a refund for the reception if you do," she added. Mama Avery then turned her attention to Karen, whom she had been keeping in touch with more often since Big Joe passed away. They had become close friends since they first met and his death brought them even closer. "Karen, how are you?"

"I'm doing wonderful," Karen happily replied. "And you?"

"Ecstatic. I can't believe our babies are getting married on Sunday!" Catherine waved at her daughters to invite them into the living room. "Girls, say 'Hi', to your soon-to-be sisters."

"In-laws, Mother," Joslyn corrected her, shooting a quick glance at Libby and Kimmie, then she put on her fakest smile. "It's so lovely to see you two again."

Libby forced her grin, though she was clearly agitated. "Likewise."

April sensed the tension was quickly increasing in the living room. She clapped her hands together, smiling brightly at everybody. "Alright. Why don't I give Sam and Jos a tour of the house while we wait for the others to arrive? That sounds good, right? Of course it does!"

Samantha smirked at April, who walked past them and out of the living room. "Sounds splendid, April."

She let out a sigh of relief when the two sisters followed her. She would much rather listen to them make obnoxious and arrogant comments about the house than sit through another bickering match between them and her own sisters.

* * *

Once the other guests arrived for the bachelorette party, the house was livelier and less tense compared to when it was just April's mother and sisters and the female Avery's. Most of the surgeons made it on time. Fortunately, there hadn't been any major trauma – not that April would have been paged. Owen gave her and Jackson the weekend off, so they could have a stress free wedding. The others were considered on-call, but they also hoped nothing overly traumatic would occur on this specific weekend.

April wore a cheesy tiara and a sash that Alice made for her. She expected the party to be free of dirty gifts after she specifically told her friends and coworkers not to buy them, but that didn't stop Lexie from bringing a penis shaped chocolate cake with cream filling. She blamed her hormones for making her think very horny thoughts.

The games Alice planned were relatively tame… so far. There was a contest to see who could make the best wedding gown out of toilet paper. Callie and Arizona won that game. The next game consisted of April answering questions about Jackson and lots of tequila. For every question she got wrong – which only happened once – she had to drink a shot. Meredith and Cristina were quite pleased with their colleague answering most of the questions correctly because it meant the guests drank the tequila shots. It didn't take long for some of them to get drunk.

Luckily, she kept the sex games out of it because she too would be embarrassed to play them with Karen and Grandma Kate in attendance. However, she made one exception.

"It's time to break open the penis piñata!" Alice shouted as she held up a piñata that resembled a penis with a happy face on it.

"Alice!" April gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. She stared at her sister, visibly embarrassed, as the others laughed at her. "I can't believe you bought that!"

Cristina dismissively waved her hand and chuckled. "Oh, quit being uptight, Kepner. It's a bachelorette party. You can't tell us you weren't expecting some sort of penis to show up," she teased, drunkenly laughing with Meredith.

"I- uhh, I… didn't know there was such thing as a penis shaped piñata," she admitted. Her cheeks were blushing as she watched Alice hang the piñata along the sturdy ceiling fan.

"Who wants to go first?" Alice asked.

Grandma Kate pushed herself up from her seat and raised her hand. "Me! I want to hit first!"

April grew even more embarrassed. "Grandma!" she chuckled, shaking her head. "And you don't even have a drip of tequila in you."

"Your grandmother must really love penises, April," Callie joked, making everyone laugh again. She applauded when Grandma Kate took the metal baseball bat from Alice. "Hit him in the balls, Grandma Kate!"

The whole party was amused by the small old lady trying her hardest to swing the baseball bat at the dangling piñata. Even Karen appeared to be intrigued. Despite having seen real penises before, she was still embarrassed. Even through countless sexual experiences with Jackson, something about the topic around others made her squeamish. She felt she was still sexually inexperienced compared to her coworkers.

But this was all in fun, so she was going to try to enjoy it. The party was organized for her after all.

After Grandma Kate's turn with the piñata, Alice forced her older sister to have a chance at busting it open. To make it more entertaining, she blindfolded April. Everyone made sure to give her space knowing she could be a little spastic. She whiffed on her first swing, which made them cheer loudly. She put a dent in the piñata on the second try. And on the third try, she grew too embarrassed to continue.

"Hold on a minute," April said as she removed her blindfold. "I'm just going to call Jackson and see how Jordan's doing."

"Hey, no calling Jackson until this party's over," Alice reminded her, taking away her cell phone. She waved her arm around when April attempted to retrieve it from her. "You promised me you wouldn't give in and call him. Jordan's fine. He's got plenty of reliable men watching him."

April groaned. "Fine."

The piñata finally broke apart when Miranda unleashed her anger on it. Apparently, she had a messy day at the hospital after one of the residents nearly botched a fairly simple procedure in the OR. Little penis candies spilled onto the floor and most of the guests rushed towards the pile to collect their share.

Soon after, the doorbell rang and Alice excitedly rushed to the front door. She returned with a police officer, which made April even more embarrassed.

"Alice, I said no strippers!" she scolded her.

"Oh, uhh… he's not a stripper," she replied with a grimace. "I'll admit I ordered one, but he's supposed to be dressed as a doctor and he's late."

The police officer approached April, tipping his hat at her. "Good evening, ma'am. I'm Officer Ted. Is this your house?"

April slowly nodded. "Umm, yes. What's the problem?" she nervously asked.

"Well, I received a complaint that it's too noisy at this residence," he informed her, scanning the living room before he looked back at her. "Have a seat, please. I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Okay." She raised her eyebrow at Alice, who immediately shrugged, as she sat down on the couch.

Officer Ted pulled out a small notebook from his back pocket. "Can I have your name, please?"

"April Kepner."

"Ms. Kepner, I'm going to have to arrest you," he sternly said, then he slyly grinned as he threw the notebook over his shoulder. "For not getting rowdy enough!"

Alice turned up the music with a remote control as Office Ted began dancing. April yelped and covered her face with her hands when he ripped open his shirt. She felt like an idiot for assuming he was a real police officer. The other women started clapping to the beat as the bride to be received a lap dance from him.

"Take your pants off already!" Lexie impatiently shouted from across the living room while she danced to the music in her seat.

Meredith looked at a few of April's cousins and pointed at Lexie. "For the record, I don't know that woman."

Libby pulled April's hands away from her face, so she would have to watch the lap dance. "Don't make me hold your eyelids open for you, sis," she warned her and giggled at how red her face was. "C'mon, even Mom is enjoying this!"

She opened her eyes to find the stripper's underwear covered butt swaying back and forth inches from her face. "Oh my gosh!" she shrieked. Perhaps it was a given to everyone else that she had never been this close to a stripper.

Alice couldn't stop laughing at how mortified April was during the lap dance. She snapped a picture of the scene with her cell phone and sent it to Jackson. "Your man is so gonna love this sight."

* * *

Sitting in one of the many suites of CenturyLink Field, Jackson relaxed in his seat while he watched the Seattle Sounders compete against the San Jose Earthquakes. Jordan sat on his lap observing the soccer players running around. Because the Sounders fans were notorious for being loud with their chants and cheers, he wore noise cancelling headphones to be on the safe side. However, he could hear a little noise, enough to start clapping when people in the crowd did.

"Enjoying the game, buddy?" Jackson asked. Of course, he didn't hear a word he said, but it also turned out he passed out and fell asleep at some point. His little head was slumped against his shoulder and a french fry dangled from his open mouth, making him laugh. He rubbed the top of his son's head before he sipped his beer. His cell phone vibrated in his pocket, forcing him to set down his cup to get it. After pulling it out, he opened the picture Alice sent to him and laughed. He wasn't surprised by April's reaction to the stripper.

"Dude," Alex muttered after taking a peek at Jackson's cell phone. "She looks horrified. You'd think she'd be used to seeing a half-naked dude since you two probably boink every day."

"Yeah, but this is different. She's with her family and friends, while a complete stranger's giving her a lap dance. Besides, she told Alice not to get a stripper. I knew she would, though." The plastic surgeon put away his cell phone. "At least it looks like she's having fun."

Mark grinned at his student. "Hey, ask her if they cut the penis cake Lexie brought over."

Jackson pursed his lips as he slowly shook his head. "Hmm… no. That's okay," he responded and winked. "We're not supposed to be contacting each other until the party's over. Alice's rule. I'll let them do their thing like I promised."

"We should've gone to a strip club," Alex whined.

"Well, who'd be watching the kids, genius? No kids allowed at the bachelorette party, so we're stuck with babysitting duty, which is fine with me." Jackson's cell phone vibrated again, except it was a phone call. It was April's number, so he immediately answered it. "Hello?"

_"Jackson, oh thank goodness," she replied, sounding relieved. April was standing by the entrance of the living room as the stripper danced for the other guests. "Alice hired a stripper!"_

Jackson chuckled. "I know. She sent me a photo. What happened to the whole 'no calling Jackson' rule Alice enforced?" he asked as he stood up from his seat. It was so loud in the stadium that he could barely hear his fiancée's voice. He carried Jordan in one arm while he walked to the farthest corner of the suite.

_"She refused to let me call you – until I put her in a headlock, then she finally gave back my cell phone," she sheepishly answered. "I am so sorry."_

"What are you sorry for?"

_"The stripper."_

He started laughing. "April, you don't need to apologize for the stripper. It's not like your sister hired him to have sex with you," he insisted. "It's all in good fun. I'm not mad about it. You shouldn't be either. Have you never been to a bachelorette party with a stripper?"

_"No, I have. Umm… Libby and Kimmie had strippers, but I left the room both times," she confessed. "It was awkward."_

"They're just buff guys who take off their clothes for a living. They don't bite," he teased.

_April rolled her eyes. "I know that, but I was a very naïve virgin at the time, so strippers intimidated me," she said defensively. Glancing back at the living room, she giggled at Grandma Kate, who was spanking the stripper. "Oh, geez. Now my grandmother's going wild with the stripper. She was the most excited person in the house when Alice revealed the penis piñata."_

"You have one awesome grandmother."

_"Oh, shut up," she playfully scolded him. "How's the game?"_

"Winning 2-1 with a few minutes left in the first half. Good game so far. Jordan's loving it." He looked down at their baby boy, who continued to sleep peacefully in his arm. "He hasn't been fussy. That's a plus."

_"Okay. I don't want to keep you away, so I'll let you go now. I'm sure one of my sisters will eventually tie me down to a chair for another lap dance."_

Jackson smiled. "I'll see you at home. Keep having fun, alright? That's the whole point of this weekend. Have fun, get married and run off to Maui for our honeymoon. Oh, and enjoy your penis cake."

_"Yeah, yeah. Love you."_

"Love you too. Bye." He hung up his cell phone, then he returned to his seat with Jordan.

"Kepner crying about how horrible the lap dance was?" Alex quipped.

Jackson rolled his eyes. "No. She's fine." He pointed his finger at his best man. "No teasing or making fun of her this weekend. That's the least you could do, Karev. She's going to be freaking out internally, so don't egg her on."

The peds surgeon smirked at him. "Fine, whatever. When are you going to start freaking out?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your dad and your grandpa in the same room tomorrow at the rehearsal? You think they'll be high fiving each other when they meet again?"

"No, but I'd rather have them say whatever they want to say tomorrow than on Sunday. April wants a perfect wedding without any drama from anybody and I will do everything I can to make sure that happens."

* * *

The wedding rehearsal took place at the church where the actual ceremony would be held. It was late in the afternoon and the dinner would happen immediately after they were finished. Aside from the wedding participants, Jackson and April's immediate family members were also present. Since there wasn't an official wedding planner, Catherine took the role of telling everybody in the wedding party how fast they should walk down the aisle and where to stand. Their rehearsal was delayed because Jackson hadn't arrived yet. He needed to pick up Harper Jr. from the airport, but they hit traffic due to a car accident in downtown Seattle.

Samantha checked the time on her cell phone and sighed at Catherine. "He's 20 minutes late, Mother," she complained. "He should've told Dad to catch a taxi."

"He'll be here soon, dear. He's not too far away now," the urologist insisted. Like Jackson, Catherine also anticipated the two Harper's first encounter since he fled Boston fifteen years ago. They could either make a scene in front of everybody or rip each other's heads off privately. She preferred the latter.

April was pacing back and forth outside of the church. She tried to stay as composed as possible, but being late was one of her pet peeves. It wasn't her fiancé's fault some idiot driver caused an accident, though she wanted everything to run smoothly. So far, it hadn't.

Libby stepped outside to check on her sister. She looked like she was ready to have a nervous breakdown. "Jackson will be here any minute, April," she assured her, grabbing her shoulders to stop her pacing. "Calm down, okay?"

"I'm trying, but I can't," she anxiously replied and pointed at herself. "I'm getting married tomorrow. For the longest time, I never thought this day would come. I wasn't exactly a hot item on the market, Libby. What if- what if Jackson changed his mind and ran off to Mexico?"

"Nonsense. He's just late." Libby hugged April, comfortably rubbing her back. "Even though I always gave you crap for not having a bunch of boyfriends, that didn't mean I thought you'd end up alone. You found a great guy and he will be here soon."

And with almost perfect timing, Jackson came sprinting up the steps with Harper Jr. trying to catch up with him. He stopped in front of April, who pulled away from Libby. "I'm _so_ sorry. Damn car accident made everybody twice as slow."

April quickly smiled and took his hand. "It's fine. You're here now, so let's get the rehearsal started." She greeted Harper Jr. with a hug. "How was your flight?"

"Awful. Kid wouldn't stop kicking the back of my seat," he irritably said, but he smiled at her. "Anyway, I wouldn't miss this wedding for anything. Let's not keep everyone waiting."

The foursome entered the church. All eyes were on Jackson, who immediately apologized for being late, and Harper Jr. Both Samantha and Joslyn appeared eager to speak with him, but also hesitant to make a move. Harper Sr. scowled at him. He was prepared to approach him, but Mama Avery decided to intervene before anything ugly could occur.

"People, people! We're behind schedule with the rehearsal, so everybody in the wedding follow me," she announced, then she smiled at her ex-husband. "Lovely to see you again, Harper."

"You too, Catherine," he politely replied.

Those who weren't in the wedding procession remained seated in the pews. Jordan napped against Karen's shoulder, while Samantha sat beside Harper Sr. Jackson wasn't sure what they were whispering to each other, but he was positive it had to do with their father. He stood by the altar watching them as the other members of the wedding party practiced their procession.

It was April's turn to walk down the aisle, but she seemed reluctant to move. By then, everyone was wondering why she was frozen. It hadn't hit her until she saw the aisle in front of her that Big Joe wouldn't be walking her down the aisle. Ever since she was a young girl she visualized her father, teary-eyed and smiling at her in her wedding gown, giving her away to her soon-to-be husband.

But she stood there alone and it didn't take long for the waterworks to start up. "Excuse me for a second," she tearfully said as she ran off to the nearest restroom.

Jackson furrowed his eyebrows and followed her into the restroom. She wiped away her tears with the sleeve of her jacket when he walked inside. "April, what's wrong?"

"My dad. He… he was supposed to walk me down the aisle," she sobbed.

He frowned. For a while, he thought maybe she had accepted the fact that Big Joe wouldn't physically be at the wedding. She hadn't mentioned it as the days passed, but it was obvious reality hadn't hit her until she waited alone at the top of the aisle.

"What about your grandfather? I'm sure he wouldn't mind walking you down the aisle," he suggested.

"He's in a wheelchair, Jackson. If he hadn't gotten hip replacement surgery last month, then it'd be a possibility," she answered, wiping away another tear. "As much as I love Grandpa Stuart, I can't walk down the aisle with a person in a wheelchair. It's weird."

Jackson pulled her in for a hug. "I wish there was something I could do," he guiltily said and kissed the top of her head.

April shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I'll be fine," she insisted. "It just finally hit me, that's all. I'll be okay. I promise. Just go back in there and tell them I'm alright. I'll come out in a minute."

"Okay." He wiped away the remaining tears with his thumbs before he kissed her lips. "Happy times, remember? We're getting married tomorrow and you're going to be the most beautiful bride I've ever seen."

She softly smiled as he left her alone in the restroom. Jackson walked back to his spot at the altar and waved his arms to get everybody's attention.

"It's fine, you guys. She's fine," he assured them. "Pre-wedding jitters."

Alex leaned close to Jackson. "What was that about?" he whispered.

"She was upset about Joe not being here to walk her down the aisle," Jackson whispered back and sighed. "I didn't think she would still be this upset about it, but what do I know? My dad didn't pass away a few months ago."

"Uhh… I'll be right back," he excused himself, confusing the groom in the process. Alex marched up the aisle, leaving everyone else just as confused as Jackson. He found April exiting the restroom and blocked her path. "So, uhh… this is going to sound random, but listen first."

April, whose eyes were red and slightly puffy, cleared her throat. "Alex, what are you doing?" she asked curiously.

"I heard you were bummed about your dad not being around to walk you down the aisle. I get you're all about the traditional crap, but I think you should make an exception," he proposed, awkwardly stuffing his hands inside of his pockets. "I'll walk you down."

"What?" She shook her head in disbelief and laughed. "You can't walk me down the aisle. You're the best man. You're supposed to be standing by Jackson and making sure he doesn't faint."

"That chick from _Titanic_ let Leonardo DiCaprio walk her down the freaking aisle and she let him die in the movie," he noted.

"How do you even know that?"

"Heard Jo talking about it once, but whatever. That's not the point." Alex shrugged his shoulders and smirked at April. "We've been through a lot, April. Sometimes you got on my nerves or it was the other way around, but I helped take care of Jordan from the minute he was born. And I'm his godfather. That gives me some sort of father status, so I say I _can_ walk you down the aisle. You won't need me after you marry Jackson. I'll be busy hitting on Alice instead."

April smiled and folded her arms. "You seriously want to walk me down the aisle? This isn't pity fries treatment, right?"

Alex held up his hands in front of his chest. "Seriously. No pity treatment from me this weekend. You want somebody to walk you down the aisle, so I'm going to walk you down the aisle." He flashed a cheesy grin at her. "And I'm best man. I have special privileges."

"I don't think best man privileges include walking the bride down the aisle," she replied with a smirk.

"Dude, you want me to walk you down or not?" he impatiently asked. "For your information, I've been good about not making fun of you this weekend. We were roommates. You cooked pretty damn good food and did my laundry. It's my turn to do something nice for you."

He did have a point, although he had done many nice things for her in the past year. Taking care of Jordan in the NICU, babysitting him when she and Jackson had a date, protecting her after the ugly incident on Thanksgiving. Now, he wanted to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day. He really was a good friend – when he wanted to be.

"Okay, you can walk me down the aisle," she accepted his offer, then she lightly poked his chest with her finger. "But again, no hitting on Alice. If I find out you got her drunk and had sex with her, I will kill you before I leave for my honeymoon."

"Fine, I'll behave," he mumbled. "Anyway, we should go back out there before Avery starts to think I'm screwing his bride."

April playfully rolled her eyes. "We're in a church, Alex. No dirty jokes," she scolded him.

Alex escorted her back to the top of the aisle. He waved his hand at the others staring back at them. "Don't worry. I got this," he assured them before he offered his arm to April.

Jackson, along with everybody else, was surprised to see his best man walking her down the aisle. It was unlike Alex to be so thoughtful, especially when it came to April, though he knew it wasn't the first time the peds fellow showed an act of kindness towards her. Still, he never imagined Alex Karev being the man to deliver his bride to him.

"Wonderful! We'll go through the procession one more time, then we can leave for dinner," Catherine instructed after April reached the altar. She clapped her hands twice and pointed towards the back of the church. "This time, let's aim for perfection. Chop, chop!"

* * *

At the conclusion of the rehearsal, everyone gathered at the Purple Café for dinner. Seated in the back of the restaurant for semi-privacy, the Avery's, Kepner's and members of the wedding party mingled with each other as they waited for their food.

Jackson noticed the two Harper's had yet to speak to each other. Harper Sr. was busy having a deep conversation with Samantha, while Harper Jr. quietly sat beside his son. He wanted them to speak now rather than have a major blow up at the wedding. Somebody had to make a move, but it wasn't going to be from either Harper's.

"Dad, come with me," he ordered, lightly pulling on his father's arm to help him stand up.

"Where are we going?"

Instead of answering Harper Jr., Jackson brought him to the middle of the long table where his grandfather was seated. "Grandpa," he said, tapping his shoulder. He waited for the cardio surgeon to turn around before he waved his hand towards his father. "You remember your son, right?"

"Ah, yes." Harper Sr. slowly eyed his son up and down. "You cleaned up well, Junior. You don't look as washed out as you did when I last saw you. So, what are you doing with our life now? I'm very interested to know."

Harper Jr. cleared his throat. "I teach Biology and Chemistry at the Norfolk Academy. I'm a teacher now."

"You're wasting time with high school kids when you could be teaching residents how to become the next great cardiothoracic surgeon," the elder Avery scoffed.

"Actually, the Norfolk Academy is a fine establishment. My stepson will be graduating this spring and heading to Duke on a basketball scholarship," he replied defensively.

"Funny how things work out," Harper Sr. said as he smirked at Jackson. "I bet this stepson has already spent more time with your father than you did in the seventeen years you lived with him."

"I met him. He's a cool kid," the plastic surgeon admitted. "Visited Dad on Christmas. It was great, actually."

Samantha stared at her brother appalled. "You visited our father and didn't have the courtesy to tell us?" She looked up at Harper Jr. "And how come you never bothered to pick up your phone and call Jos and I? Are we not good enough to meet this family of yours?"

"Lay off of him, Sam. He wanted to talk to you and Jos face to face this weekend," Jackson insisted, patting Harper Jr.'s shoulder. "And he's here now, so just hear what he has to say without the insults. You guys can talk after dinner."

Harper Jr. returned to his seat with Jackson. "Thank you for that."

He half-smiled at his father. "I had to break the tension somehow." Remaining on his feet, he picked up his wine glass and gently tapped his fork against it. "Can I have everyone's attention for a minute?"

All eyes were on Jackson as they abruptly ended their conversations to hear what he had to say. "First off, thank you all for being here this weekend. This wedding's been a long time coming and I don't mean waiting more than a year to marry this beautiful woman beside me," he said, gesturing his hand towards April, who shyly smiled back at him.

"Secondly, I want to show some love to my best man, Alex Karev. April and I wouldn't be where we are today without him whether he wants to believe that or not. And he's one of Jordan's godfathers. He did a tremendous job taking care of our son during his stay in the NICU." He pointed his wine glass at the peds surgeon. "You're a good man, Karev. April seemed to always see the good guy in you and I couldn't understand why, but now I do."

Alex quickly shrugged and smiled. "It had to happen eventually."

"And to my parents – Harper and Catherine. My father and I hadn't seen each other since I was in high school and when I met him again I didn't think I'd ever want him back in my life, but I'm glad I changed my mind." Jackson smirked at Mama Avery. "And Mom, even though you drive me nuts with your babying, I'm grateful to have a caring mother like you."

Catherine blew a kiss to her son. "Aww, thank you, baby!"

"Along with my own family, tomorrow I'll be joining another. I'm looking forward to becoming a Kepner just as much as I am looking forward to welcoming April into the Avery family." Jackson took a deep breath, then he sighed. "And finally…"

He glanced down at his fiancée, who had tears in her eyes as she happily stared back at him. "I used to never believe in soulmates. I never thought there was only one person in the world who could be my person, my only soulmate. I was wrong. Over the years, I've become very close friends with people at this table who I can pretty much consider family. But there is one person in this room, who I can call my soulmate. She's the mother of my child and she's also my best friend. April, I love you with all my heart and tomorrow, I can proudly call you my wife."

While everyone else applauded and let out their "Aww's", Jackson leaned towards April and kissed her lips. He wiped away a tear rolling down her cheek with his thumb before he kissed her again.

Lexie lightly dabbed her eyes with her napkin when she heard Mark sniffling beside him. "Oh my God, are you crying?"

"Huh? No," Mark immediately denied as he blinked his eyes. "Dust, I swear."

Jackson sat down in his seat as he continued to smile at April. "So… big day tomorrow," he playfully insinuated, making her laugh. "Having second thoughts?"

"Not at all," she replied and grinned. "You?"

"Nope. Nervous?"

"Maybe a little. I don't want to trip over my gown," she admitted, biting her lower lip. "Are you nervous?"

"Trying not to be." He pressed his forehead against hers as he stared into her eyes. "But I have no doubt in my mind that we'll be alright."

* * *

**Am I the only one who thinks April would be embarrassed around a stripper? :p**

**Before you get the wedding, the second to last chapter will be a flashback to their intern year. Anyway, thanks to those stuck with this story because it's almost over! :)**


	19. Chapter 19

**Thanks for the reviews! So, we're almost at the end *tear* but don't worry. I will still be writing Japril stories.**

**To reviewer Bleach 2775: I kinda love you right now! lol.. I've thought about doing a Mercy West story and I'm seriously considering using your idea. So thank you.**

**And to those who sent me ideas on tumblr (I'm assuming you're reading this), thanks for your suggestions as well!**

**Enjoy! (btw, sorry if the dates are off. Grey's has a jacked up timeline, so cut me some slack!)**

* * *

Tossing and turning in his sleep, Jackson rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling. It was almost 4 AM and he had trouble sleeping since he turned out the lights four hours earlier. He was marrying April in twelve hours. He had a right to be anxious, nervous, excited and feeling a whole array of other emotions. Because he was banned from seeing his fiancée until the wedding, he spent the night at Richard's house. He desperately needed rest, so he wouldn't look like he just finished a 10-hour long surgery at the altar.

It was a long and unexpected journey for the two Mercy Westers. Nobody saw their relationship coming, not even himself. Sometimes looking back at their first encounter felt like it only happened yesterday.

* * *

_Fall 2005 – Mercy West Medical Center_

Five minutes late. It was Jackson's first day of his internship at Mercy West and he was running five minutes late. He was convinced his decision to turn down a spot at Mass Gen just before the deadline cursed him for life because his day started off poorly.

Residing in a hotel until he found an apartment, his alarm clock failed to wake him up. If it wasn't for Catherine sending him a text message to wish him good luck, he probably would have slept in until noon. He had never been to Seattle prior to his move from Boston, so he wasn't familiar with the public transportation. He got off at the wrong bus stop, sprinted to the next one and waited an additional fifteen minutes for another one to pick him up.

Maybe nobody would notice he was late. The first day consisted of an orientation in an auditorium, followed by a tour of the facilities in the surgical wing before his 48-hour shift officially kicked off the beginning of his residency. Then again, he was an Avery. Somebody was going to notice his name. It happened in medical school at Harvard and he was certain the Chief of Surgery knew there was an Avery in Seattle.

So much for proving he could become a successful surgeon without his mother or grandfather hovering over his shoulder. Being late was one of the many flaws that was considered unbecoming of an Avery.

He made a mad dash for the interns' locker room, skipping the elevator and running up the stairs. Upon entering the hallway, he found fellow interns dressed in their brand new orange scrubs and heading for the auditorium. Perhaps he wasn't as late as he thought. He still needed to change out of his street clothes before joining them for orientation, so he power walked down the hallway. Turning the corner, he bumped into another doctor knocking her over onto the floor.

She dropped a red notebook and a pen and winced in pain. "Oww…"

"Oh, hey. Let me help you-"

"It's fine!" she said, almost in panic mode. Gathering her belongings, the brunette woman helped herself up from the floor and quickly walked past Jackson with her eyes gazing down at the floor.

Jackson didn't have time to wonder why that woman was so awkward. He rushed into the locker room and changed into his scrubs as fast as possible. Throwing on his lab coat, he couldn't help but admire his name stitched onto the upper left section above one of the pockets. He was officially a doctor on the job. It felt pretty damn empowering.

But he snapped out of it and left the locker room in a hurry. Fortunately, the orientation hadn't started yet. The auditorium was packed with interns and residents who would be taking them under their wings for the year. He scanned the room for an empty seat, spotting the girl he collided with. She was sitting in the front row. He wasn't ready to stand out just yet, so he opted for the seat in the very back row. He finally allowed himself to relax as soon as he sat down.

"This is exciting, huh? We're finally gonna get to cut somebody open," a man with black hair said. He grinned at Jackson and held out his hand. "Charles Percy, University of Washington."

"Jackson Avery, Harvard," he replied, shaking Charles' hand.

"Avery as in Harper Avery's grandson? And the Harper Avery Award?" Charles nudged the woman beside him. She had long, brown hair down to her shoulders. "Hey, Reed. Check it out. I'm sitting next to Harper Avery's grandson."

And it didn't take long for the infamous Avery name to be recognized. Jackson slightly slouched in his seat, forcing himself to smile at Charles and Reed. "Yup, that's my grandfather," he muttered.

Reed held out her hand. "I'm Reed Adamson, by the way. I went to Washington with Charles," she introduced herself. After shaking his hand, she nodded her head towards Charles. "Don't mind him. He's kind of a goof. It's nice to meet you Jackson. Who's your resident?"

"Uhh…" He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. "I'm with Swanson."

"Oh! Us too. We attended a few of her lectures at U-Dub. She's pretty laid back, but she can be a hard ass when she wants to be," she explained. "So, us three and two more interns. Hopefully, we don't get stuck with a teacher's pet. Those people get on my nerves."

* * *

"April Kepner, pleased to meet you," the brunette chirped and shook Dr. Swanson's hand. She clutched her red notebook against her chest as she followed her superior down a hallway. "I've read some of your work, Dr. Swanson. Your article, "Plasma neurohormone levels correlate with left ventricular functional and morphological improvement in LVAD patients", was absolutely brilliant."

"Why thank you, Dr. Kepner," she said and smiled at April. "Where did you graduate from?"

"University of Akron. I was lucky enough to be admitted into their accelerated program, so I completed my undergraduate degree in two years and medical school in four," she proudly mentioned.

Dr. Swanson impatiently checked her watch. "You sound like a very gifted doctor then." She turned her head to look at April, who was writing in her notebook. "Okay, I'm supposed to have five interns and four of them are missing. Congratulations on meeting me on time, Kepner. Looks like you may get a chance to scrub in on a surgery on your first day."

April grinned brightly as a group of four interns approached them. Her face immediately dropped when she saw Jackson was one of the doctors in her group. He was one gorgeous looking man in her eyes. And she already made a fool of herself in front of him after they ran into each other prior to orientation.

"You four are late," she sternly greeted them, tightening her blonde ponytail. "Unacceptable. Where were you four when Dr. Kepner met me in the lobby?"

"Well, you see… we thought you meant the main lobby on the ground floor," Charles insisted, flashing a grin at Dr. Swanson, who stared back at him unamused. "Did I forget to mention I attended your lectures at U-Dub?"

Dr. Swanson rolled her eyes and pushed her way past the foursome. "Follow me, children. By the way, you four will be on scut during your first 48-hour shift. Because Dr. Kepner was on time, she has the special privilege of scrubbing in with me when I assist Dr. Martin on his heart valve replacement procedure."

April raised both of her eyebrows as she smiled again. "Wow. Thank you, Dr. Swanson. I promise you won't regret your decision," she excitedly said before she jotted down notes in her notebook.

Reed rolled her eyes and smirked at Charles. "We got a pet. Fabulous."

Dr. Swanson led them down the hallway. "Welcome to your first day as surgical interns at Mercy West. Here at Mercy West, we take pride in educating and transforming you all into successful surgeons. Right now, you are infants. When you complete your residency you will either stay or leave this hospital as board certified adults," she explained. "While we have our occasional share of flunkies just like any other teaching hospital, as educators, we want to help you reach your full potential and more. Nobody gets left behind unless you choose to drop out of our program, but trust me. This is one of the best teaching hospitals in the state and perhaps, the entire country. Disregard what they say about Seattle Grace. Mercy West is the place to be."

April raised her hand. "Umm, excuse me, but I heard one intern will be chosen to scrub in for their first ever solo. When will that happen?"

"When the first angry appendix arrives at our hospital," she quipped. "Unfortunately, I don't make that selection. One of the attendings will, so be alert and prepared. If you're chosen, make sure you don't botch the surgery. You'll never live it down if you do."

Dr. Swanson pushed open the door of an empty operating room. "This is OR 1. Walk around and have a look for a few minutes," she advised, but she stopped Jackson at the doorway after the others entered the OR. "Jackson Avery."

Jackson nodded. "Yes?"

"Your grandfather wouldn't be pleased with your tardiness," she insisted, pointing her finger at him. "You'll have to do more than flaunt your family name to impress me. Don't assume I'm the only person watching you. Takes balls to pass up Mass Gen. I bet Harper Avery's proud."

He rolled his eyes as his resident walked into the OR. "Yeah, right." Entering the OR, he decided he was going to take mental notes in his head and keep count of how many people bring up his grandfather and the Avery name before the day was over.

* * *

"Avery, over here!"

Jackson cringed when Charles yelled out his name across the cafeteria. He felt more eyes on him as his identity as Harper Avery's grandson continued to be revealed to his peers. Carrying his tray to the table, he sat beside Charles and sighed. "Could you be any louder?"

Charles softly laughed. "What's your deal?"

"It hasn't even been halfway through the day and I swear, most of the surgeons at this hospital already know me as Harper Avery's grandson," he replied in frustration. "I moved out of Boston, so I wouldn't have to face the pressure of being great like him at Mass Gen. Swanson's already on my ass about being an Avery."

"Well, it's not often an Avery ends up at Mercy West," Reed chimed in. "From what I've heard, your family is Harvard and Mass Gen all the way. Your grandfather created a legacy, so it's hard not to notice."

"I have two older sisters at Mass Gen right now. My grandfather's been prepping them to become the next great cardiothoracic surgeons since they were in high school." He quickly shrugged. "I don't want that pressure."

A Caucasian man with short, spiky brown hair approached their table. "Hey, mind if I sit with you guys?"

Jackson nodded. "You're in our group, right? What's your name again?"

"Trevor Stanley, UCLA," he introduced himself as he sat beside Jackson. "So, what do you think of Swanson? She's not that bad, right? She seems pretty cool for somebody who just shoved a ton of scut down our throats."

Reed spotted April sitting alone at another table. She was eating her lunch while scribbling notes in her red notebook again. "What do you guys think of our other groupie?" she asked, nodding her head towards the loner. "She's… weird. Too perky for my taste."

"And a huge ass kisser," Charles added. "How many questions did she ask Swanson during our tour of the hospital? I don't think she shut up for more than a minute. And that voice…"

"And what the hell has she been writing in that notebook?" Reed laughed and shook her head. "I bet it's full of deep, dark secrets. We should definitely try to get our hands on that thing."

Jackson glanced over at April. She appeared average to him. Straight brown hair that cut off a few inches past her shoulders. She was a chatter bug with Swanson, but not with anyone else. She made eye contact with him, but she immediately looked back down at her notebook. "She's probably not as bad as you're making her out to be," he said, grabbing his tray and standing up.

Charles furrowed his eyebrows as Jackson walked away from them. "Where are you going, Avery?"

He ignored the question and approached April's table. Standing by her chair, he politely cleared his throat, slightly startling her in the process. "Want some company?"

"I… uhh, sure," April reluctantly replied as she closed her red notebook. She took a deep breath when Jackson sat beside her. She was never good at talking to incredibly handsome men. Normally, they never bothered to notice her at all.

"April, right?" He watched her quickly nod before he held out his hand. "I'm-"

"Jackson Avery. I know," she answered, shaking his hand. "I-I I mean, I know because I heard Dr. Swanson call you out earlier when we were touring the OR, so I wasn't stalking. I'm not a stalker. I'm just very aware of my surroundings. Well, I sort of knew who you were beforehand because umm, I've used your mother's articles in med school, but like I said, I'm not a stalker…"

Jackson softly chuckled. April was a rambler, especially when she was nervous. "I believe you. Look, I'm sorry about knocking you over this morning. I was running late and trying to get to the locker room before orientation started-"

"It's fine," she cut him off and shyly smiled back at him. "I'm okay."

"So, where are you from?"

"I'm from Moline, Ohio." She could tell he had never heard of her hometown based on his blank expression. "It's a really, really small town. I grew up on a farm. Umm… got an academic scholarship to the University of Akron and made it into their accelerated program for med school, so I guess I can say I was lucky to get out of Moline."

Jackson nodded and smiled. "The complete opposite of where I grew up."

"Boston, I know," she answered, then her eyes grew wide. "One more time, I'm not a stalker. I've just heard a lot about your family, but umm… we don't have to talk about that if you don't want to. I can tell you're tired of people bringing up your grandfather or your name in general."

"It's not easy being an Avery, that's for sure," he glumly replied. He pointed at her red notebook. "So, what do you write in there? Unless, it's none of my business."

"Oh, umm… just reminders and personal thoughts," April said and gently bit down on her lower lip. "It's something I decided to start doing since I moved here. I've never been this far away from home before. I've always lived in Ohio."

"You're not alone there," he agreed. "I grew up in Boston my whole life, so this is different for me too. Maybe we could tour Seattle together when we're finally free from this 48-hour shift. Charles and Reed went to med school here, so perhaps they could be our tour guides."

April grimaced. "I'm not sure they like me very much," she admitted and noticed they were watching them. She sighed as she looked back at Jackson. "I've never been the best at making friends."

He smiled at her as his pearly whites and bluish-green eyes made her blush. "Well, consider me your first friend here and don't mind them. They'll come around. It's just our first day, but everybody's already checking out their competition," he assured her. "If they don't like you, it's because they know you're going to be a kick ass surgeon and they're feeling threatened."

She chuckled. This Jackson Avery guy was more down to earth than she anticipated. His last piece of advice was worthy of writing down in her red notebook later.

* * *

_"If they don't like you, it's because they know you're going to be a kick ass surgeon and they're feeling threatened."_

April sat up against the headboard of her bed as she read notes from her first red notebook. Like Jackson, she couldn't sleep either. Her stomach felt like she had thousands of butterflies fluttering around. After she checked on Jordan in his bedroom, she decided to sift through her collection of red notebooks and review the many quotes, medical information and personal thoughts she wrote down.

She had to shake her head at some of the notes she wrote because in retrospect, they were pretty damn embarrassing.

* * *

_November 2005_

"Jackson Avery is the most gorgeous man I've ever met," Reed recited out loud as she and other interns laughed in the locker room. April was busy assisting Dr. Swanson and Dr. Kingston in the OR and her fellow intern managed to steal her red notebook. "His eyes are so beautiful that I can barely look at him without making a fool out of myself. I swear, they could burn right through me. He's like a god."

Charles laughed again. "Man, where's Avery? He needs to hear this crap," he held out an open hand in front of Trevor. "I told you she was mad crushing on him. Pay up, chump."

Reed turned the page and gasped. "I think Reed is a bitch to me because she has self-esteem issues?! Are you kidding me?" She looked up at Charles in disbelief. "I don't have self-esteem issues! Do I have self-esteem issues?"

He sheepishly grinned at her. "You did steal her notebook, so you can humiliate her."

"She's been making me look ridiculous in front of Swanson. I make a suggestion, she makes a better one. She won't stop one-upping me! It's annoying!" she complained. "It's like she's this Little Miss Perfect who can do no wrong. Something in this notebook will finally reveal one of her flaws."

Jackson entered the locker room, immediately growing curious when the other interns stared back at him with mischievous smiles on their faces. "What?"

Reed held up April's red notebook. "Nothing. Just learning more about April."

"You stole her notebook?" he asked, sounding miffed. He instantly grabbed it from Reed, slightly glaring at her. "I know you're not a fan of hers, but really?"

"Oh, please. You know you've been curious about what she's been writing in that too," she scoffed. "Don't act like a Prince Charming and pretend you don't care what she has said about you."

Jackson rolled his eyes. "Whatever she chooses to write in here is private, so freakin' respect that," he scolded her, then he left the locker room and paused in the hallway.

Looking down at the small red notebook, he was tempted to open it, but he didn't want to stoop down to Reed's level. April was his friend and he knew not everybody had warmed up to her yet. She was the only person who he could have a conversation with without the topic eventually switching to his grandfather or his family name. They were friends because they respected each other and not because he was an Avery. A part of him felt the need to protect her. It was the least he could do. He hid the notebook safely in his lab coat pocket until he met up with April again.

It took another two hours before he found her walking down the hallway. She appeared frantic and worried and he had a feeling he knew why.

"April, what's the matter?" he asked, gently tugging on her arm as she walked past him.

"My red notebook," she told him, fidgeting with her fingers. "It's missing. Have you seen it? I could've sworn I kept it locked in my locker, but it's not in there and if it ends up in the wrong hands-"

"This red notebook, right?" he answered, pulling out her notebook from his pocket. "Reed took it. She was reading some of the things you wrote to the other interns, but I stopped her."

April snatched her notebook from Jackson with a frown on her face. "Did you read it?"

"No, I promise I didn't," he assured her and smiled. "I'm your friend. I wouldn't do that behind your back."

"Okay," she quietly said. "Thank you."

Jackson sighed as she turned around to walk away. "Hey, wait a minute. Want to go get a drink after work?" He playfully nudged her. "You could use some cheering up. I'll even pay."

It almost sounded like he was asking her out on a date, but she didn't want to ask him. It wasn't often she was asked out by men, especially ones who looked like Jackson. Maybe he was surprisingly interested in her, but she couldn't tell.

"Sure," she replied, softly smiling back at him. "Drinks it is."

* * *

_Four hours later – Schmo's Bar_

Jackson sat across from April, sipping his beer as she rambled on about how successful Dr. Kingston's aneurysm repair was. As much as he wanted to pay attention, his eyes constantly gazed over at a blonde woman nearby. She was also an intern at Mercy West and an attractive one as well. Her name was Rachel Lawson and he was encouraged by the fact that she was looking back at him too.

He didn't want to be rude, so he waited until April finished her story. "That sounds pretty awesome," he said, although he stopped paying attention a quarter into her recollection. "Umm, do you mind if I go ask Rachel something for a minute?"

April's eyes slowly wandered towards the blonde doctor and sighed. "No, it's fine."

"Are you sure? I don't want you to think I'm ditching you."

"No, no. It's okay," she replied, dismissively waving her hand. "Don't worry about it."

"Alright. I won't take long."

April couldn't help but frown as she watched Jackson approach Rachel's table. She should've known better than to assume she was his type. Of course the pretty blonde was more for him than she was. Their babies would grow up to become models.

Not too far from her table was Reed, who was sitting at the bar. She noticed the distraught expression on April's face. Jackson was having a livelier conversation with the blonde bimbo than he did with the brunette. And because of what she found out about April from her red notebook, it was obvious to Reed that she was a little heartbroken. Plus, she had been such a bitch to her since they met without trying to get to know her better. She never saw herself as a coldhearted person, but she sure acted like one that day.

She grabbed her drink from the counter before she walked towards April, who didn't hesitate to scowl at her. "Yeah, I know you probably hate me, but can I sit down?"

"You might as well. I'd feel better not looking like a loner at the bar," she muttered.

Reed sat across from April and set her drink on the table. She briefly stared at Jackson and Rachel before she looked back at her coworker. "I think her boobs are fake. They're too… round," she implied.

"Guys go for that anyway," April said as she stared at her glass.

"I owe you an apology, April. I've been horrible to you since day one. I was… jealous of you," she confessed.

"Jealous? Of _me_?" she asked and softly laughed. "That's a first."

Reed gestured her hand towards her. "You've been getting all the cool surgeries. You're clearly Swanson's favorite intern. I was frustrated because anything I did, you did better. I'm not used to being number two," she admitted.

"I'm not used to being number one," April added with a smirk on her face. "Where I'm from, I was invisible until I became a doctor. Here, I feel like it's a fresh start. Nobody knows me, so I thought I could step up and try to make a name for myself early. Maybe earn some respect I never really had."

"I guess I didn't help when I stole your notebook," she guiltily replied. "But I don't think Jackson knows how you feel about him. Some other people do, but he doesn't. Maybe if you tell him-"

"Oh, God," she groaned, shaking her head. "What could Jackson Avery ever possibly see in me? I'm a good friend, but I don't think he ever thought of me as more than that. I mean, why would he?"

"C'mon, you're a pretty girl and you probably have a much better personality than Rachel. He'll see that eventually."

April raised her eyebrow at Reed. "Why are you being nice to me now?"

"Because you could use a friend – who's a girl – to talk to about…" Reed playfully pointed at Jackson and grinned. "…him or any men you're interested in. We can be girlfriends!"

"Are you messing with me?"

"No, I'm being sincere," she insisted and reached across the table. "So, how about we start over? Friends?"

April took a few seconds to think it over, then she shook Reed's hand and smiled. "Friends."

Reed glanced back at Jackson. "You know, maybe he won't notice you right now, but I think he will. It's actually endearing how he wanted to protect you from humiliation."

"It was probably out of pity," she muttered. "Just like this whole 'Let's have a drink' thing."

"I disagree. I think he cares about you." Reed smirked at April. "Trust me. He'll notice you one day."

* * *

_May 2006_

"I need help, April," Jackson begged her as they strolled down the hallway. "It's our 6-month anniversary and Rachel's expecting me to do something really nice for her tonight."

"Well, I don't know how to help you," she muttered. Any time he mentioned his girlfriend to her, she wanted to plug her ears and scream. The sight of him with the blonde bimbo made her sick. She was fake, only polite to Jackson because he was an Avery, but she treated everyone else like crap. For some reason, he couldn't see that. "And I'm not exactly an expert in dating, so why don't you go ask Charles or something?"

"Because he'll suggest something stupid and I can't take him seriously, but I know you'll be honest with me."

"And like I said, I don't know how to help you, Jackson." She raised her eyebrow at him. "Why do you like her?"

"What do you mean by that?"

She rolled her eyes. "She's dating you because you're an Avery. Anybody can figure that out except you. She's… she's not a good person."

"You barely talk to her," he replied defensively. "Rachel is a likeable person once you get to know her better."

April shook her head. "She's _likeable_ when you're around her, but when you're not… she's a bitch. Worse than Reed when she has her mood swings," she complained. She winced when a man in baby blue scrubs walked past her and bumped into her shoulder. "Hey!"

The man turned his head, scowling at her as he walked away. "Dude, watch where you're freaking going."

Jackson let out an annoyed sigh. "God, those Seattle Grace doctors think they rule our hospital just because they're here to harvest a stupid heart," he irritably said before his mind returned to the original subject. "And Rachel's not a bitch. I can't believe you just said that."

"Open your eyes, Jackson! Since I met you you've been all about trying not to let people take advantage of you because you're an Avery, yet you let her fake boobs distract you from seeing what everyone else sees," she argued.

"You know, I always thought out of all of my friends at this hospital, you'd be the most supportive," he countered.

"She's cheating on you!" April blurted out, throwing her arms up in the air. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hands as Jackson stared at her dumbfounded.

"Are you serious?" he asked, placing his hands on his hips.

April dropped her hands to her sides and frowned. "I umm… I saw her and Michaels sneak into an on-call room once."

"When?"

"Umm… March?" She grimaced when he stormed away from her in a hurry. "I could be wrong, though!"

* * *

_7 hours later – Schmo's bar_

April sat alone at the counter, sipping a glass of scotch. It was a long day for her. Jackson hadn't talked to her after she accidentally told him about Rachel, but mainly because she hadn't seen him since. He was either avoiding her or he spent the day searching and confronting his girlfriend. She hoped for the latter. But she thought he deserved to know. As his friend, she hated seeing him be used – and with another woman in general. She never expected them to last as long as they did. It was the fake boobs, she thought.

To her surprise, Jackson sat beside her. He looked worn down and frustrated. "Whiskey, please," he muttered before he turned and faced April. "You were right. She was cheating on me. It's over."

"Oh, I'm sorry-"

"You have nothing to be sorry for," he insisted. "I should've known better, but why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"I guess I was trying to protect you because you seemed happy and I didn't want to see you get hurt," she apologetically replied. "I probably should've told you after I saw them, but… does she know I told you?"

Jackson slowly shook his head. "I didn't have to since she openly admitted it, but I wasn't going to anyway." He picked up his glass and sipped his whiskey. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you. She really had me fooled. I normally don't get duped that easily."

"It was the boobs," April mumbled to herself.

"What'd you say?"

"Nothing." She forced herself to smile at him. "You deserve better than her. You're charismatic, friendly, good looking… it won't take long for somebody to notice you."

Jackson softly laughed. "And what about you? Any guys taking an interest in you? I heard Trevor might be."

April shyly shook her head. "No. I'm… invisible."

"Invisible? Nah. People just haven't met you yet," he assured her. "You'll find that one person who will respect you and love you and… hopefully, not cheat on you. I don't really believe in soulmates, but if you do, then I'm sure you'll find yours soon."

"I suppose."

"Anyway, thanks for being a good friend," he added and tapped his glass against hers. "Without you watching my back I most likely would've married the wrong person."

Neither of them knew then that his opinion would actually mean a lot many years later.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed the cameo from a certain douchey doctor!**

**I'm basically using this chapter as a test run to see if you guys are interested in a Mercy West type of story (AU of course). So, please let me know what you think and maybe I'll post the final chapter earlier than Friday ;D**


	20. Chapter 20

**Thanks for your reviews! I really appreciate your feedback. Well, folks. We've come to the end of this story, but this won't be the last time I write for Japril! Thank you to those who ****read my story ****and also those who ****wrote reviews****. Feels like it took me forever to finish this one lol. Anyway, this one's a little longer than my usual chapters, but it's the last one, so it's fitting :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

It was finally here – the big day. Jackson nor April could truly believe it was happening. They were getting married, yet it still felt like it was all a dream. Perhaps it was because they had been engaged for over a year and sometimes they thought maybe they didn't need to do the wedding thing. They were happy raising Jordan together without actually being married.

But getting married was always a part of April's personal plan. And why wouldn't Jackson marry her? He was in love with his best friend. Took many years to realize she was his one true love, but he figured better late than never. He didn't know just how much he wanted to get married until she played a bigger role in his life.

He couldn't eat. Catherine prepared a nice breakfast for the entire family, but he couldn't eat one bite of food. The nerves were in high gear by then, but he was more anxious about seeing April in her wedding gown than anything else. No matter how many times he begged, she refused to provide him with hints on how it looked.

"It's white," she always said. Well, duh.

The plastic surgeon wanted to sneak out for a while to help him relax. Mama Avery was beginning to drive him crazy with all of her pampering and last minute preparations for the wedding.

"You can't see the bride, baby. That's bad luck," she reminded him.

"I'm not going home to see April," he insisted, rolling his eyes as he stepped out of Richard's house. "I'll be back in an hour. Don't send anybody to follow me, Mom."

Jackson got into his car and drove to the only place he wanted to visit before the wedding. He hadn't heard anything about visiting cemeteries as bad luck. Besides, two of his best friends were waiting for him. He couldn't get married that day without seeing Charles and Reed. He hoped April didn't have the same plans, at least not at the same time he would be there. Otherwise, he would never hear the end of it from his mother if he saw his bride before the ceremony.

He was still dressed in his morning attire – a white t-shirt, his Harvard hoodie and gray sweatpants. Getting dressed for the wedding wasn't happening for another few hours anyway.

Stuffing his hands inside the pockets of his sweatpants, Jackson let out a sigh as he looked down at the two headstones in front of him. "Hey, guys," he awkwardly greeted them, swaying back and forth on his heels. "So, it's happening today. April and I are getting married. Yeah, I feel like I have to pinch myself. We've been waiting forever for this day and it's here. Charles, I'm sure you'd be giving some dumb pep talk about how I still have time to back out as a joke."

He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and opened up a recent picture of Jordan. He showed it to them as if they could see what his baby boy looked like now. "Jordan's getting bigger, isn't he? He's a really smart baby, says a lot of words now. And he's always happy. He dances a lot to music and I think he's already interested in sports," he explained. "He's a good boy. I think I've got this parenting gig down."

As expected, silence. But he knew they were listening. He just wished he could hear what they were saying back to him. "Anyway, I miss you guys. You should be at our wedding… or maybe you will be. Your parents will be there, so at least a part of you two _will_ be around," he added and sadly smiled. "Charles, I'm sure you would've had one hell of a best man speech, but I trust Karev in that he'll keep it clean. He's walking April down the aisle too. You'd be surprised by how much his attitude's changed towards her. He's been a great friend since she returned from Moline."

He thought back to the days when he and Alex barely met eye to eye on anything. The merger had been one of the most nerve wracking times for both hospitals. Jobs were on the line and there was an obvious divide between Seattle Grace and Mercy West. His initial impression of the peds surgeon was that he was a douche. Had he known about his problems with Izzie, maybe he would have backed off a bit.

Now, they got along more often than before. Being roommates seemed to help them build a friendship. And their male bonding time increased after April went home to Moline for a few months. In a way, he could consider Alex Karev to be his best friend. It was almost a scary thought, but he was happy to have him in his life.

"Well, I just wanted to stop by, see how you two are doing," he said and softly chuckled. Although he had grown comfortable with talking to two headstones, there was still some embarrassment that came with it. "Wish me luck?"

Jackson laughed to himself. He knew he didn't need it, but it was better to be safe than sorry. "Hopefully, I won't puke all over April's dress."

* * *

Just a few minutes after Jackson left the cemetery, Charles and Reed were greeted by his other half. April scanned her surroundings hoping her fiancé wasn't around to see her before the wedding. She had a small time cushion to visit her friends. She and the rest of the ladies in her wedding party were scheduled to have their hair fixed at a salon in an hour, so she had to make it quick. It took about 20 minutes to come up with a believable excuse to tell Karen why she needed to leave the house for a brief moment, but it worked. Even though she was off from work, hospital duty was a good enough lie to use.

She brought with her a fresh bouquet of flowers for her friends. For every monthly visit, April always remembered to replace them. Setting the new bouquet inside of the vase in between their headstones, she smiled as she stood up straight.

"I'm getting married today!" she excitedly announced. The trauma surgeon covered her mouth with her hand and checked her surroundings again. She didn't want to disturb other people who were possibly mourning the death of their loved ones. Dropping her hand next to her side, she sheepishly grinned. "Sorry, I can't help but feel jubilant right now."

Like Jackson, she was also dressed in her lazy clothes – Akron hoodie and black yoga pants. She adjusted her ponytail before she set her hands inside of her hoodie's pocket. "I wonder if Jackson's been here yet," she speculated, biting down on her lower lip. "Hopefully, he won't show up any time soon."

"So, uhh… you were right, Reed. Jackson did eventually notice me," she continued, adding a laugh. "But I had to kiss him first for it to happen, but you always told me to be bolder, right? Well, I was bold that night in San Francisco – maybe bolder than I planned. It all worked out, though."

She pulled out her cell phone from her pocket. After opening a photo, she turned it around and held it out to Charles and Reed. "This is my wedding gown. I think it's gorgeous," she bragged with a grin on her face.

The white wedding gown was on display in her bedroom. It was strapless with a white beaded lace design on the front of the upper half of the dress as well as on the back. Not too simple, but not too glitzy either. It was the perfect gown for her… after trying on almost 30 other ones.

She put her cell phone away and sighed. "Anyway, I'm praying I won't trip over my gown at all today… or Alex won't rip it by accidentally stepping on it when he walks me down the aisle," she quipped. "Yup, Alex Karev is walking me down the aisle later. Of course, if my dad hadn't… I'm sure he'll be walking beside me. I just won't be able to see him."

April had missed Big Joe since he passed away, but today was a little bittersweet. There would be no father-daughter dance between them. She quadruple checked with Catherine to ensure that part of the reception was removed because she was certain she would have an embarrassing breakdown if the DJ made an announcement for that. At least she had her first dance with Jackson as husband and wife to look forward to.

"I miss my dad. And you two, of course," she tearfully said, wiping away a tear with her sleeve. "But I'm sure you're still happy up there. I bet my dad has a lot of embarrassing stories to tell you about me."

She giggled as she remembered her bachelorette party. "Alice hired a stripper," she whispered. Even after it was all over, she continued to feel embarrassed about the fake police officer shaking his ass in front of her face. "And she forced me to take provocative pictures with a chocolate penis cake with my mom _and_ my grandmother watching! But Grandma Kate – she was having the time of her life. It was adorable… and a little disturbing. You would've had a ball making fun of me, Reed."

Her cell phone started ringing. It was Alice. She figured their mother already wanted her home and she hadn't been gone for even an hour. Ignoring the call, she slightly smiled at Charles and Reed's headstones. "That's my cue to go home before they send a search party for me. Jackson and I will see you next month, okay? See ya."

Blowing a kiss to her two friends, she walked back to her car. She sat in the driver's seat and took a deep breath before she turned on the ignition. "I hope I don't throw up all over my dress."

* * *

Jackson stood in front of a mirror in one of the guest bedrooms as he adjusted his bow tie. Looking spiffy in his tuxedo, he wanted to look clean and perfect for April. Although she loved a little stubble on his face, he went for the clean shaven appearance. He wore a black jacket to complete his outfit, then he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in." Harper Jr. entered the bedroom. He smiled at his father. "Hey, Dad."

"Hello, Jackson." The elder Avery smiled back at him. "You look really nice. Very grown up."

Jackson softly chuckled. "I _feel_ grown up. Does Grandpa know you're here?"

Harper Jr. opted to stay at a hotel instead of staying at Richard's, despite the extra room that was available. Since his first meeting with Harper Sr. in fifteen years, it was clear to everyone that they weren't going to be sharing hugs any time soon. Rebuilding a relationship with his father would be a much slower process than with Jackson. They were both stubborn, so a resolution for their broken relationship could take a while.

"He does, but he barely acknowledged my presence. Not a surprise there," he answered and shrugged his shoulders. "Anyway, I thought I'd give you your own personal wedding gift early. I have something else for both you and April, but this one's from me to you."

"What is it?"

"After you were born, I envisioned myself passing a little something off to you on your wedding day," he said, as he reached into the pocket inside of his dress coat. "I didn't think this day would happen after I abandoned you, but I'm glad I'm getting another chance to give you this."

Jackson's eyes widened and he raised both of his eyebrows in awe when Harper Jr. pulled out a gold Rolex watch. "Whoa, Dad-"

"Your grandfather gave this to me as a wedding gift when I married your mother," he recalled, staring at the watch in his hand. "And to think I almost sold this when I was a drunk asshole. Thank God, I changed my mind. This watch is from 1975. It's amazing how well I took care of it over the years. Still looks brand new, huh?"

"Yeah," he sighed, staring at the watch as well. "So… seriously? You're giving that to me?"

Harper Jr. smiled and nodded. "Yes. Just take extra care of it, son. Don't let Jordan flush this one down the toilet. He can flush your other watches, but not this one or else you'll hear it from me big time," he jokingly warned him, making his son laugh. Grabbing Jackson's hand, he gently placed the watch against his palm. "And one day, you can pass it down to Jordan."

Jackson smirked at his father. "I'm not sure if I'll be able to part with it," he quipped and shared another laugh with him. He held up the watch like it was the golden ticket to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. "Man, I can't believe I have a Rolex now – a _vintage_ Rolex. So much better than a new one, to be honest."

"Why don't you wear it now? It goes with your tux."

He quickly removed his other watch from his wrist and wore the Rolex. "It fits great," he added, then he hugged Harper Jr. "Thank you for this, Dad. I promise I'll take care of this baby, even more cautiously than my sneakers."

Harper Jr. laughed before he pulled away from Jackson. "I trust you." He reached up and fixed the plastic surgeon's bow tie, so it was more centered than before. "So, how are you feeling right now?"

"Nervous, but good nervous. I think once I see April in her gown all of the nerves will evaporate," he truthfully said and pointed at his back pocket. "Got an extra handkerchief in case I turn into a full blown sweating machine."

"You'll be fine, Jackson," he assured him, gently patting his shoulder. "You're already a great father. You're going to be a great husband too. April is the perfect match for you."

Jackson grinned as he led Harper Jr. out of the bedroom. "I can't disagree with that at all."

The two men walked down the stairs together. In the living room, Richard, Harper Sr. and the groomsmen were waiting for them. A limousine was waiting for the male half of the wedding party outside. Richard and the two older Avery's were riding together. When Jackson appeared in the living room Mark immediately approached him.

"Avery, my man!" His mentor unexpectedly put him in a headlock and gave him a noogie. "In less than two hours, you're going to be Mr. April Kepner."

"I'm sticking with Avery, you ass." Jackson straightened out his jacket after Mark let go, then he smirked at him. "You're lucky my hair isn't long enough to get messed up. I would've killed you."

Alex walked towards his coworker with a grimace on his face. "Uhh, I got a problem, dude."

"What?" he asked, raising his eyebrow. "If it has to do with April's ring, you're a dead man."

"Actually, it does." He opened the left side of his coat and pointed at the pocket. "I swear, I thought I had it in here, but-"

"You lost the ring?!" Jackson panicked, shooting a glare at Alex. "You better be freaking kidding, Karev!"

Alex started laughing as he pulled out a white gold wedding band. "I'm messing with ya, Avery. I just wanted to screw with you one more time before the ceremony. Don't worry. I won't lose the ring."

Jackson rolled his eyes when the other men laughed at him. "You guys are dicks," he bluntly said. "No more fake outs, alright? I'm already feeling like my stomach's going to explode."

"Relax. Just stay cool," he advised as he put the ring back into his side pocket. "And don't even think about passing out. I mean, I'll catch you, but you don't want to look like a loser in front of April. So uhh, we should get going. I've got like a hundred jobs to take care of as your best man."

One by one, the men walked out of Richard's house in their suits and tuxedos. The weather was sunny, which was a blessing because it had been raining every day the previous week. If the weather was cooperating, then Jackson knew it was going to be a very good day.

* * *

Karen gently adjusted the veil attached to April's hair without ruining her French twist updo. While she focused on the veil, Catherine double checked the gown to ensure every possible wrinkle was gone. She used her hand to smooth out her gown as April felt awkward about her soon-to-be mother-in-law brushing her hand against her boobs.

"There. It should stay still for the rest of the day," Karen insisted and took a step back to view her daughter in her wedding gown. She pressed her palms together underneath her chin and smiled. "You look absolutely beautiful, sweetie."

"Stunning," Catherine added. She had a grin on her face ever since she saw April completely dressed in her gown. "Girl, you might very well make Jackson faint, baby. You are one gorgeous bride."

April could feel her cheeks growing warmer by the second. She stared at herself using the closet mirror. She had never been so dolled up for anything, but seeing herself in her wedding gown was what she had been dreaming of since she was a young girl. That morning, it hadn't fully hit her yet that she was getting married until she saw herself in her gown.

"I think _I'm_ going to faint right now," she almost breathlessly said. She started fanning herself with her hand. "Anybody else feeling hot or is it just me?"

"Oh, you're just making yourself nervous, dear." Karen opened her purse, taking out a pair of pearl earrings in a small bag. "There's one more thing you need to wear before you meet the others downstairs. As you know, I've been doing a tradition of passing down jewelry to my daughters on their wedding day. Libby got my engagement ring since Carl never actually bought her one and I gave Kimmie one of my necklaces. So, it's your turn."

"Your pearl earrings?" April asked, sounding surprised. "But… Grandma Kate gave you those when you married Dad. You love those earrings. You once flipped out when Libby borrowed them without asking for permission in high school."

Karen chuckled. "Well, Grandma Kate insisted I pass them down to you as well. They're yours now, April. No more arguments." She put the earrings on for the redhead with a smile on her face. "Now, you're ready to go downstairs."

April hugged her mother, trying not to unleash any tears. She refused to ruin her makeup before arriving at the church. "Thank you, Mom. I love you."

"Love you too," she replied before pulling away from her. "Now, let's help you down the stairs without any accidents."

Alice and the bridesmaids waited for April in the living room. Samantha was also present as she would be riding with Catherine and Karen to the hospital. The rest would be escorted by a limousine just like the men of the wedding party. Libby and Kimmie's children left with their husbands and grandparents and would meet them at the church. Jordan was comfortably relaxing in Kimmie's arms and wearing a mini tuxedo of his own. Half of his outfit would eventually be shed before the end of the day. He rarely lasted long in dress clothes and constantly tried to rip them off of himself.

Mama Avery made her way down the stairs first and held up her camera when she reached the bottom. "Here comes the beautiful bride!" she announced.

The women gathered closely by the entrance of the living room as April slowly walked downstairs. Karen held up the back of her gown, so it wouldn't get dirty or cause her to trip and fall. The trauma surgeon sheepishly grinned when they all "Ooh-ed" and "Aww-ed" at her, including the robotic Avery sisters, who actually showed some emotion.

"Oh my God, you look so freaking gorgeous, April!" Lexie exclaimed as she snapped a picture with her cell phone. "Wowza."

Libby rushed into the kitchen and returned with a shot glass containing clear liquid. "April, we know you're a little nervous, so we decided you need to drink this before we leave. It'll calm you down a bit," she recommended.

April raised her eyebrow at her sister. "What is that?"

"Vodka, of course," she answered. Libby playfully waved the shot glass in front of the bride's face. "We're not leaving until you down this."

She took the shot glass from her and quickly drank it. They laughed at the squeamish expression on her face. She wasn't a big vodka drinker to begin with, so it was almost painful to swallow. Clearing her throat, she handed the shot glass back to Libby.

"Uhh… thanks," April awkwardly said, then she smiled. "You all look so beautiful as well. Thank you for making this weekend enjoyable so far. I appreciate it."

Catherine clapped her hands and opened the front door. "C'mon, lovelies. We have a wedding to get to!" she cheerfully reminded them. "My, it's a glorious day to get married."

* * *

"Look at him. He's ready to pass out," Cristina quipped, sharing a laugh with Meredith. They observed the anxious plastic surgeon from their seats in the church. Jackson pulled out his handkerchief and wiped the back of his neck with it. "Shouldn't Alex be next to him in case he does?"

"Oh, you didn't hear? Alex is walking April down the aisle," Meredith informed her person. She spent the previous night listening to him ramble on the phone about how much he didn't want to screw up his duty as best man. "He volunteered since her father's not here."

Cristina looked back at Meredith impressed. "Wow. Evil Spawn really has grown up – although I'll take that back if he ends up sleeping with one of her sisters."

Jackson took one deep breath after another. As much as he attempted to calm himself prior to the wedding, nothing he did was working. He was practically sweating bullets forcing him to use his handkerchief every other five minutes. Was the air conditioning broken? Maybe it was all in his head. He knew he was making himself more nervous than he had to be.

In the back of the church, the wedding party was lining up with the help of Catherine. Bridesmaids – bouquets in hand – and the groomsmen first, the maid of honor, Maya and Mason as the flower girl and ring bearer and lastly, the bride. April was hiding in a waiting room until it was time for Alex to go get her.

Mark and Lexie were the first pair to walk down the aisle. Having them first allowed the fifth year resident to travel at her own pace without feeling rushed either.

"I'm a whale, I'm a whale…" Lexie muttered to herself as she smiled at the guests watching them. "They're staring at my huge belly. I know it."

"No, they're not. And you're not a whale. You're hot," Mark reassured her, nodding his head and grinning at the familiar faces he noticed. "But I'm ready to carry you if you want me to."

"And break your back in the process?" she smirked at her husband. "Callie and Derek will have a field day with that one."

Next up were Libby and David, followed by Joslyn and Vince. Then, Kimmie and Kevin made their trip down the aisle before Alice walked alone. People began gushing at April's niece and nephew as they occasionally walked diagonally down the aisle. Maya clutched a flower basket in her left hand, while Mason carried a pillow with fake rings tied to it. They got the most photos taken of them.

Alex lightly knocked on the closed door of the waiting room and opened it. "April, are you ready?" He practically froze at the sight of his coworker in her wedding gown. It was his first time seeing her since she arrived. "Dude."

"What?" she chuckled.

"You look…" He smiled as she nervously bit her lower lip. "…very beautiful. Lookin' really nice, Kepner."

April softly smiled. "Thank you. You look quite handsome yourself, Karev." She took a deep breath as she approached Alex. "So, is Jackson still standing upright?"

"Yeah, he's doing alright. Maybe not so much when he sees you," he quipped, then he held out his left arm. "Are you ready?"

She nodded, grabbing his arm while she held her bouquet with the other hand. He led her to the entrance where they waited for their cue. They could hear the music changing from behind the doors before two ushers opened them. All of the guests were standing, their eyes focused on the bride and the best man.

As Alex walked April down the aisle, Jackson's eyes never left her. His mouth was slightly dropped open. He couldn't believe she could be more beautiful than she already was. A smile eventually formed on his face and he grinned when her eyes met his. Finally seeing her erased his nervousness. He felt calmer and even more impatient to marry her. If he could fast forward to "You may kiss the bride", he would do it in a heartbeat.

When they reached the altar Alex gave April away to Jackson, who gently patted his shoulder before his best man stood nearby behind him. She passed on her bouquet to Alice, then she and Jackson faced the priest hand in hand.

Jackson leaned close to her ear and smiled again. "Words seriously can't describe how beautiful you look today," he whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too," she tearfully said. She cleared her throat, trying not to let the tears escape. "Don't make me cry yet, you jerk."

The guests laughed, having heard their exchange thanks to the priest's microphone picking it up. He waited for them to quiet down before he spoke.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the love and marriage of Jackson Egbert-" The priest paused when both Alex and Mark snickered, while Jackson rolled his eyes. "Jackson Egbert Avery and April Mary Kepner."

Cristina softly chuckled and looked at Meredith. "Mary? I guess calling her Virgin Mary wasn't so offensive after all."

Both of them had zoned out a bit when the priest started the ceremony. Every once in a while, April would glance over at Jackson, who returned the gaze with his charming smile. She couldn't look behind her, but she expected Karen and Catherine to be bawling their eyes out. Jordan was either asleep or trying to pry off his jacket. Her sisters were all glossy eyed, even Joslyn had tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I believe you two have chosen to deliver your own vows," the priest announced, smiling at the couple. "Whenever you're ready."

Jackson reached inside of his coat pocket and his face immediately dropped. His handwritten vows weren't there. He was about to curse until he remembered he was in a church. "I uhh… I forgot to bring my vows," he sheepishly replied.

"Dude, you're a smooth talker," Alex interjected and half-smiled at him. "Just say what your heart's telling you to say. Besides, you would've looked dumber holding a piece of paper."

"Right. Thanks, Karev," he said, winking at his best man.

"That's what I'm here for," the peds surgeon gloated.

Turning to face April, he picked up both of her hands as he brightly smiled at her. "I never realized how much I could love someone until I fell in love with my best friend, my one true companion. Nobody has ever understood me the way that you do, April. Even when I was blind to notice how important you are to me you were always my strongest support system. You've made me a better person. You make me try harder than I've ever tried before. We may face some obstacles in the future, but we'll face them together. We went from coworkers to friends to best friends to lovers. And now, I'm ready to take care of you as your husband and I'm looking forward to sharing the rest of my life with you."

By the end of Jackson's vows, April's cheeks were wet with tears. At some point, she knew she would eventually break down during the wedding, but she wasn't prepared for what he had just said. She forced herself to laugh as she tried to compose herself.

"Hang on a minute," she chuckled.

"It's okay. Take your time, dear," the priest encouraged her.

April cleared her throat and smiled when Jackson wiped away her tears with his thumb. "All my life I used to believe God had a concrete plan for me, but I learned over the years that plans don't always end up the way you want them to work out. My whole life changed when I met you, Jackson. My confidence has grown so much since I met you. You always appreciated me for me and never tried to change the person I am. Even at my worst, you continued to love me and I continued to love you just as much. No matter what happens down the road, I will always love you," she said, her voice slightly trembling. Blinking her eyes to avoid more tears from falling out, she smiled at him again. "I'm grateful to have you as my best friend and the father of our beautiful baby boy. We've shared so many fond memories together since we met and I can't wait to create more with you as your wife."

Jackson already wanted to kiss her, but he fought his urges until the opportunity arrived. The priest asked for the rings next. Alex handed April's ring to Jackson, while Alice handed his ring to her sister.

"With this ring, I pledge my life to you and I promise to love, honor and cherish you for the rest of my life," Jackson recited, slipping the ring through her left finger.

"With this ring, I pledge my life to you and I promise to love, honor and cherish you for the rest of my life," April repeated with the same gesture.

The priest grinned at the couple. "And by the power vested in me by the state of Washington, I now pronounce you husband and wife," he announced. "You may now kiss your-"

April pounced on Jackson before the priest could finish. Their guests started applauding and cheering as they shared their first kiss as a married couple. Neither of them wanted to separate as their lips remained locked together.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Avery!"

Music began playing when the couple finally separated. Clutching her hand, he led them up the aisle, making a pit stop to retrieve Jordan from Karen. Jackson had a wide grin on his face as he carried his son in one arm and held on to April with his other hand. She was beaming just as much and she squealed with excitement when they made it outside of the church.

"Oh my God, we're married!" she excitedly said, then she kissed Jordan's cheek a bunch of times and made him smile. "Mommy and Daddy are finally married, baby!"

Jordan likely didn't completely understand what was happening, but seeing the happiness on his parents' faces was enough to make him giggle. He randomly started clapping, which made them laugh.

"He's probably saying, 'It's about damn time'," Jackson quipped. He leaned forward and kissed his wife once more. "I can say this all day, but I love you, Mrs. Avery."

"And I love you, Mr. Kepner," she teased. April playfully pinched his cheeks after he furrowed his eyebrows at her. "Aww, don't be a party pooper. The party hasn't even started yet."

* * *

"So, uhh… when I first met these two I freaking hated them because they hailed from Mercy West. I wanted them to vanish and never come back," Alex explained. Nobody knew what to expect from him when it was time for his best man speech, but his colleagues weren't surprised that he started it off the Karev way. "Jackson and I, we rarely got along for the first year we worked together. And April, well… I literally wanted to glue her mouth shut."

He waved his hand and laughed. "Alright, enough with that smack talk. In all seriousness, these two people have become my good friends. We lived together, learned how not to get on each other's nerves except I always got on April's nerves because I left my dirty clothes all over the floor." He pointed at Jackson. "I could tell how much he cared about April because he never hesitated to defend her when I picked on her. And she refused to take my crap and let me know every time. Don't let her appearance fool you. She's a tough woman. I like to think I involuntarily toughened her up a little."

April nodded. "It's true."

"I also took a knife for her. I saw she was in trouble and I did what any other friend would do and protected her," he continued. "Plus, nobody's got the right to come into our hospital and try to kill us. We're like a family, so we all have each other's backs. Anyway, I've grown to really appreciate the company of this disgustingly happy couple. They trusted me enough to be Jordan's godfather and I'm grateful for that."

Alex picked up his champagne glass and raised it, smiling at Jackson and April. "I'm very happy for you guys. Jackson, you're like my best friend and I rarely ever had a male best friend. Well, I actually didn't have many friends, period. But I can consider you and April my close friends. So, yeah. I can openly say you're my friends. I wish you all the best in the future, whether it's in Seattle or elsewhere. You're good people, so stay happy forever – or I'll kick your ass. Cheers!"

Everybody raised their glasses after the peds surgeon finished his speech and carried on with dinner soon after. Once dinner was finished, it was time for the newlywed couple's first dance. It was the perfect photo opportunity as guests took pictures of them from every angle. Arizona and Callie took the most, returning the favor April did for them at their wedding.

April had insisted on Jackson and Catherine having a mother-son dance, despite not being able to participate in the father-daughter dance. However, Alex used his best man privileges again and offered to dance with her. Embarrassed at first, but she happily accepted his offer. She also shared a dance with Harper Jr., while Jackson took his turn with Karen.

Following the dances was the cake cutting. Of course, neither of them held themselves back as they smashed a piece of the white chocolate cake against each other's face. After cleaning the cake and frosting from their faces, they moved on to the bouquet and garter toss. Alice fought off Jo and Stephanie to win April's bouquet, while Shane surprised everyone, beating Alex and Kevin, who bumped into each other trying to fight for room.

And finally, guests gathered on the dance floor to let loose and embarrass themselves with awful moves. April was disappointed to see Jackson off to the side, although he _was_ rocking Jordan to sleep against his shoulder, so she wasn't going to be too hard on him.

"Jackson, let's dance," she cheerfully asked. "You never dance with me unless it's a slow song. You promised you'd dance to anything tonight."

"I know, but this little guy passed out on me," he answered with a smirk.

"Oh, don't use our son as an excuse not to dance," she playfully scolded him. April spotted Karen resting nearby and waved at her. "Mom, could you watch Jordan, while I dance with Jackson?"

"Of course," Karen stood up from her seat and approached them. She carefully took Jordan from her son-in-law and smiled. "You two should be having fun. Go dance with your bride, Jackson."

Jackson slightly grimaced as April quickly dragged him towards the dance floor. She brought them to the middle of it and she started dancing to the music. The trauma surgeon stopped to watch her husband do some strange, wiggling move with his arms. She stared in amusement as she realized he had the dorkiest moves ever, which was why he never danced to anything fast. He was good at almost everything, but dancing was not one of them.

"Okay, okay! You can stop now," she ordered and laughed. Pulling him closer to her, she wrapped her arms around his neck as she continued to giggle. "I won't do that to you again."

"I guess I forgot to warn you that I'm a terrible dancer," he replied, visibly embarrassed. "One of the few things I hope Jordan didn't inherit from me."

April gave him a peck on the lips. "Aww, you weren't _that_ bad," she insisted, resting her head against his shoulder. "I still love you even if you suck at dancing."

Jackson smiled as they slow danced in the middle of the dance floor, while everyone else around them moved faster to the music. It didn't matter if they looked awkward. They were happily married now. That was all that mattered at the moment.

* * *

_One month later_

Mark's presence alerted his coworkers in the waiting room. He held up two fingers with a grin on his face. "I've got two little willies!" he announced. He received uncomfortable stares from them and chuckled. "I meant boys! Lexie and I are parents to twin boys!"

Callie was the first person to jump up and congratulate him. "Oh, yay! Sofia has brothers!" She hugged him tightly, then she turned around to look at Sofia, who was sitting on Arizona's lap. "Sweetie, you have two baby brothers!"

Jackson approached his mentor and gave him a hug. "Congrats, Sloan. Since Jordan's older _he'll_ be the one doing the bossing around," he jokingly said, receiving a playful shove from Mark. "How's Lexie?"

"Doing alright. They're cleaning her up right now," Mark answered. "She did great."

"Names, Mark," Derek happily called out from his seat. "We want names."

"Oh, yeah. Andrew Thatcher is one minute older than Maxwell Derek," he replied, grinning at Derek. "Of course, one of them had to have your name. And Lexie can have visitors in about a half hour or so. I'll let you guys know when she's ready. I'm gonna go see if she's still doing okay."

After Mark left the waiting room, April walked inside with a grin on her face. "I just bumped into Sloan on my way back from the restroom. Twin boys! That's so exciting." She grabbed Jackson's hand and led him out into the hallway. "I have to show you something."

"What is it?" Jackson asked curiously.

"Well, I stopped by the gift shop to buy Lexie some flowers and something caught my eye." She opened the plastic bag in her hand and pulled out a t-shirt. "Do you think this will fit Jordan?"

Jackson unfolded the t-shirt and raised both of his eyebrows. "Best Big Brother Ever?" He lowered the t-shirt as a smile slowly formed on his face. "April, are you…"

Quickly nodding, she bit her lower lip and shyly grinned. "You have no idea how hard it was to hide it from you," she admitted. "I… I wanted to wait until I was very sure."

"How long?"

"About eight weeks or so." April smirked at her husband. "Remember when we celebrated Valentine's Day for a whole week? I'm positive it happened sometime during that."

Jackson couldn't hold back his excitement as he picked her up, wrapping his arms around her waist. "We're having another baby?"

"We're having another baby," she repeated before he kissed her. She pressed her hands against his cheeks. "Let's not tell everyone yet, okay? I don't want to take away Mark and Lexie's glory."

"No problem." He set her down and rested his hand against her lower abdomen. "Somewhere in there is our little baby. That's so awesome."

"And this time, we'll get to experience the pregnancy together," she said, placing her hand on top of his with a smile on her face. "Brace yourself for many late night food runs."

Jackson laughed. "I don't mind. I'll be by your side, bitchy hormones and all," he insisted, then he kissed her again. "I know this wasn't exactly planned, but damn, I'm so excited right now."

"So am I." She hugged him once more. "I love being married."

* * *

**Please let me know what you thought of this story (or chapter). I'm interested to know what you thought of it in general now that it's complete :)**

**Anywho, for those waiting for my AK2 story - that's coming up this weekend so look forward to that! And while I do use ideas from my Japril stories, I'm not calling it a sequel. AK2 and Japril are two separate worlds, at least in my head lol.**

**I will be working on the Mercy West fic soon, as well as a one shot based on spoilers & speculations. Later on, I'll start a very AU fic that's not hospital related (thanks Hidge!) and I'm contemplating unleashing a high school fic that I haven't touched in months, though it needs a makeover. So, keep an eye out for future fics or you can follow me on tumblr (bluepenguin02) since I post my updates there too!**


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